Government plans for budget subjectto troika approval

PLANS to leave income tax untouched in December’s budget still have to be approved by the bailout troika, the Taoiseach has confirmed.

Enda Kenny told the Dáil he intends to stick with the Programme for Government commitment not to raise income taxes or cut welfare as part of savings of up to €4 billion for next year.

But he said this has yet to be renegotiated with the EU, ECB and IMF, who agreed with the previous Government that savings of €250 million a year would be made through tax hikes over the next three years.