Giveaway budget is not on the cards: Taoiseach

There will be no giveaway budget in October despite much better-than-expected exchequer figures for the first eight months of the year, the Government has warned.

Enda Kenny has tried to dampen expectations that the Government will be in a position to loosen the purse strings despite the unexpected boost to the coffers.

The fiscal deficit at the end of August was €6.3bn, compared with €7.3bn for the same period in 2013. Moreover, the improvement is €1.3bn ahead of profile on the back of higher tax receipts and lower interest expenditure.