Budget: Noonan rules out equalising cost of fuel and won't scrap VAT on condoms

The Finance Minister has ruled out equalising the cost of petrol and diesel in next month's Budget.

Michael Noonan says the move would be a major shock to those who had bought diesel cars on the basis that they would be cheaper to fill.

He has also turned down calls to scrap VAT on condoms, which party colleague Kate O'Connell says would lower the rate of STIs.

The Minister says he doesn't share the same view.

"I doubt very much, for example, if you took contraceptives from thirteen-and-a-half down to nine that it would change behaviour very much and have a big impact on the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, maybe it would but I doubt it you know?"