Ministers move to dampen budget expectations

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath said one-off payments to help households with the cost-of-living crisis will not be on the same scale as last year.

Ministers have moved to dampen budget expectations, warning they do not want to stoke inflation and insisting mortgage interest relief will be “very targeted”.

Finance Minister Michael McGrath said one-off payments to help households with the cost-of-living crisis will not be on the same scale as last year.