Kenny refuses to rule out swingeing health cuts

People will not "feel like millionaires" after the Budget, Enda Kenny said as he refused to rule out massive health cuts.

As the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting came to a close in Fota Island, Co Cork, Mr Kenny would not be drawn on a Health Department document warning that “draconian” cuts would be needed to meet proposed spending levels.

Options outlined included closing hundreds of hospital beds, and cutting opening hours in some emergency departments to reduce spending by several hundred million euro.