Spring Statement: ‘Giveaway budgets for next five years’

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has promised that the Coalition will have give-away or ‘expansionary’ budgets for the next five years, if returned to power.

The Coalition has between €1.2bn and €1.5bn extra to spend next year, details of which will be decided on in October’s budget.

Delivering the spring economic statement, the minister said the extra money would be spent equally between tax cuts and investment in public services.