Varadkar: We want to honour tax pledge

The Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has refused to be drawn on whether he will abandon the expensive Metro North line in Dublin.

Mr Varadkar has told the Dáil that cutting capital investment by €750m next year was not an easy decision for the Government to take.

Mr Varadkar said: "We want to honour our commitments not to increase taxes on work as far as practical and not to cut social welfare rates as far as practical.

"We think that's the most effective way to maintain demand in the economy as much as we can.

"Capital invest is actually a very expensive way of creating jobs.

"Probably the best way we can sustain employment is to try and keep wages up and taxes down."