Fianna Fáil wants tax cuts scrapped in the budget

Fianna Fáil is set to press the Government to scrap plans for tax cuts in the budget and instead to spend money on services and alleviating living costs for struggling households.

The main opposition party also wants a €200m pay equality package nailed down before budget talks progress and a future deal on supports to retain staff in sectors such as health.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, public expenditure spokesman Barry Cowen outlined key battlegrounds for Budget 2019, the last one under the confidence and supply agreement.