Coalition budget horse-trading set to intensify

Horse-trading over the impending budget is set to intensify with the Coalition’s two money supremos meeting daily from now on to hammer out divisive details.

Labour’s public expenditure reform minister Brendan Howlin signalled he and Finance Minister Michael Noonan were set for down to the wire negotiations in the run-up to the Oct 15 budget.

“Michael Noonan and I get down to the nitty-gritty, we meet very regularly, probably for the next number of weeks we will meet daily and then we will present a joint package that will be in the best interests of growing jobs in this economy and giving confidence that we are in the final lap on the road to recovery.”