Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I indicated last week, when the Exchequer returns were published, that we would take whatever decisions necessary this month and that we would have a budget during the first week of April. I indicated that this was our reaction to the deterioration that had occurred. The Minister for Finance will now come to the Cabinet. Budget issues will be discussed tomorrow morning, as we were dealing with other matters in the Cabinet today, and the Minister for Finance will set out his timeline. We will agree to it then and will announce it afterwards.

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