As Noonan looks to bailout exit many fear his ‘good news’ about budget

People will be “astounded with all the good news” announced in tomorrow’s budget, Michael Noonan said at the weekend.

But with households already coping with the pressures from half a decade of cuts and tax increases, most will be dreading the moment when the finance minister rises to his feet to announce €2.5bn worth of more austerity.

Mr Noonan is trying to sell the positives of the budget on two grounds: Firstly, that it will not be as bad as it might have been, and secondly that it’s worth hanging on in there because we are about to exit the bailout and things are beginning to turn around.