Ahern forecasts 'more predictable' budget

The Taoiseach has confirmed that Wednesday’s budget will be much tighter than the ones Minister McCreevy has delivered in recent years.

Speaking at the unveiling of a plaque to mark the founding to the Fianna Fail party seventy-five years ago in Dublin, Mr Ahern said that it was obvious that his Finance Minister had less money to hand out this year as a result of the downturn in the international economy.