Lenihan rejects allegations of Govt deception

The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children is rejecting suggestions the Government deceived the electorate in the run-up to the General Election.

Brian Lenihan was responding to allegations that the public finances are worse than originally stated last May.

The allegations arose from figures revealed in a leaked departmental memorandum, showing that almost €1bn may be withdrawn from the public purse in 2003.

Minister Lenihan says the real state of the public finances will be made clear when the budget is delivered at the end of the year.