Government closes in on budget adjustment figure

The Government is close to agreeing the final figure of adjustments for the Budget, which will be partly determined by exchequer figures due out today.

The four-man Economic Management Council — made up of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and ministers for finance and public expenditure, will meet this evening and are said to be “very near” to the final figure.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan told the Cabinet that there “won’t be any unnecessary hardship” and Labour sources are optimistic that an adjustment under the €3.1bn will be agreed.