White: Less painful budget will ease health cuts

A less painful budget will reduce cuts to the health services and patients, junior health minister Alex White has admitted.

Mr White’s comments came amid reports negotiations among Coalition senior ministers are stalled on whether €3.1bn or less in savings is needed in next month’s budget.

Ireland has agreed to get its budget deficit below 5.1% next year but it remains unclear whether this will require a cut of €3.1bn or less. Mr White, a Labour minister, said the amount could be less and this would lessen any impact in health.