Severe budget cuts will not be reversed

There will be no turning back from measures outlined in Wednesday’s budget, the Government insisted, despite some Labour backbenchers holding out hope that tweaks can be made to avoid a public backlash.

A number of Labour TDs are seeking meetings with senior ministers from their party to express concerns over a €10 cut to child benefit and the 20% cut in the respite care allowance.

However, senior sources in the party said they did not expect any particular sticking point to emerge that would lead to the loss of any of its TDs over the €3.5bn austerity budget.