Ministers warned to keep Budget musings under wraps
Cabinet ministers are meeting this morning to discuss the upcoming Budget amid warnings from Government top brass not to make their Departments' cases in public before Budget day in five weeks' time.
It follows comments yesterday from Health Minister Leo Varadkar who voiced concern over his Department’s budget over-run and whether key reforms could be introduced.
His remarks were quickly dismissed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who is keen to ensure that Budget dealings are kept behind closed doors.
While Minister Varadkar's comments - casting doubt on the timeline for abolishing the HSE and introducing free GP care - set the tone yesterday, with a number of his Cabinet colleagues setting out their stalls for the Budget, Mr Kenny warned his Health Minister that he’d prefer to hear ways to implement policy rather than reasons why it can’t be done.
The Taoiseach also said there has been no decision about any figures for the Budget.
A senior Government source last night further rebuked Leo Varadkar’s comments - saying any Minister who publicly states their case “will get short shrift” - adding that over-spending remains a risk to the economic recovery.
That warning is likely to be re-iterated to Ministers at this morning’s Cabinet meeting.
Speaking on his way into the meeting, Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin said "detailed discussions" with each of his Cabinet colleagues are yet to begin, but he can "understand" Ministers looking for more funds.
"Well it's always been the way," Minister Howlin said.
"Ministers obviously are looking at their own budget line (and) what they want to achieve.
"The horizon between now and the next election is short enough, and people are setting new priorites, and they want to ensure that those priorities can be completed.
"And I understand that - but we have gone through the most difficult economic recovery in the history of our state."
