Taoiseach to hold consensus talks today

UNPRECEDENTED face to face talks between the Taoiseach and his political rivals will take place this afternoon in a bid to agree a unified response to the deepening budgetary crisis.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Green Party leader John Gormley will be joined by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore of the Labour Party at Government Buildings.

All sides have already been confidentially briefed on the gap to be filled by 2014, which Mr Cowen admitted will be higher than the estimates previously released.