Focus on ‘fixing finances’ and not ‘giveaway budgets’

The Government must remain focussed on the goal of repairing the public finances in the budget, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has stressed.

Any premature easing in fixing the public finances could instead result in more cutbacks down the line, the council warned in its pre-budget statement.

The message is a warning to the Coalition to avoid any costly giveaway measures in the budget for recession-hit workers or families.