McCreevy back at desk

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy is back at his desk and fine-tuning his speech ahead of tomorrow’s budget.

He arrived back from talks with his European colleagues in Brussels and went immediately to his department on Dublin’s Merrion Street. He went into his office without giving away any secrets and refusing to comment on speculation that betting tax will be scrapped in tomorrow’s budget or that he has asked the Central Bank for a €1.5bn windfall.