Fianna Fáil deny that they are dictating this year’s Budget.
Their communications spokesman Timmy Dooley is adamant they have not been telling the Department of Finance what to do.
There is currently a ‘confidence and supply’ arrangement in place between Fianna Fáil and the Fine Gael led minority Government.
That means they have agreed to pass three Budgets together.
Deputy Dooley admits the deal gives them influence, but says they’re not taking over: “Well I definitely wouldn’t go that far, and that is not a reflection on the quality of our spokespeople in the finance area but, the top line in that agreement was the necessity to invest more significantly in public services and target any reductions in taxation towards the low and middle income area now that is a significant shift in Government policy.”
Meanwhile the Social Protection minister has challenged Fianna Fáil to come up with a costed list of demands for the Budget.
Leo Varadkar says it is still not clear exactly what Fianna Fáil wants to see in the Budget, which is now just eight days away.
It is after Sinn Féin published its own list of welfare proposals, including the return of the bereavement grant.
But the minister had a slip of the tongue when he tried to explain that no decisions had yet been made: “Well the Budget will be announced next Tuesday by Paschal Donohoe and Micheal Martin – Michael Noonan.”
The budget will be unveiled by... whoops @campaignforleo @rtenews pic.twitter.com/2RbrKlQ8Vb
— Sharon Tobin (@sharontobin) October 3, 2016
