Brendan Howlin Says Budget 2015 Will Be 'broadly Neutral'

Brendan howlin says budget 2015 will be 'broadly neutral'

Wexford's senior cabinet minister has indicated that the era of austerity is over - saying there is no need for any more overall cuts in the budget. Brendan Howlin says the 2 billion euro of measures planned in the Budget will not be needed and that the final total will be close to zero. The Budget is due to be announced five weeks from today - but Minister Howlin says it is now simply a case of balancing the books. "The budget - which we expected to require an adjustment of 2.1 billion - because of the significant progress we've made will be broadly neutral" he said. "That means that if there is additional expenditure in any side, we have to find it by making savings elsewhere and similarly on the taxation side". "If there's to be tax adjustment or tax reductions, they'll have to be met within the tax budget - I think both Michael Noonan and I have made that clear" he added.