Lenihan: No plan for opposition veto

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan does not envisage giving opposition parties a “veto” over proposals they oppose if both sides enter talks about a national consensus on budgetary policy.

The stance will make the opposition even more sceptical about the “consensus” idea, which they have already suggested is merely a “ploy” to prop up the Government.

The news came as the Green Party confirmed that one of the reasons it decided to push the consensus idea by itself was so that it wouldn’t be seen as “a crutch” for Fianna Fáil.