McCreevy’s hairshirt has silk lining

FINANCE MINISTER Charlie McCreevy’s efforts to play the poor mouth ahead of next week’s Budget 2004 were significantly weakened last night when his own figures revealed €350 million more available to him than he predicted.

Yet Mr McCreevy remains adamant the funding will not be provided to reverse €58m of social welfare cuts or to furnish the €60m needed to reinstate 5,000 community employment scheme places.

Dramatic improvements in the tax take in the second half of the year, and spending remaining on track, mean Mr McCreevy is well within his financial targets for the year, but opposition parties still expect a tough budget.