McCreevy says budget surplus will be £1.5bn less than expected

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy has told the Seanad that this year’s exchequer surplus will be £1.5bn less than expected.

This means the Government will have approximately £1bn to spend in the upcoming budget and not the £2.5bn predicted last year.

Mr McCreevy also said that Ireland’s economy will probably suffer next year because of the September 11th attacks in the United States and the ongoing attacks against Afghanistan.