Brussels to back Fine Gael’s policy of continuing austerity and €2bn budget cuts

Fine Gael’s policy of continuing austerity is expected to get a boost from Brussels today when recommendations on member states’ budgets for next year are rolled out.

Despite state spending being lower than forecast and income expected to be up for the year, the Government is making a case for no let-up in its drive to cut a further €2bn out of the budget for 2015.

They are confident they will reach — and exceed — the EU requirement to cut the budget deficit to no more than 3% of GDP next year, the Government said in its report to the European Commission.