Govt offers to open books, but 'Tallaght Two' dismissed
The Government has today formally written to the opposition parties offering them an official from the Department of Finance to go through all budgetary and factual economic information they want in advance of the four-year budgetary plan.
Both Fine Gael and Labour have indicated they will accept the offer by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan but FG today formally ruled out any repeat of the so-called 'Tallaght Strategy' to get Budget 2011 passed.
It had been mooted that a 'Tallaght Two'-style accord be agreed between the Government and Opposition to push through what is being billed as the toughest ever budget, in the interests of the country.
However the Fine Gael front bench in a statement said it will make an independent decision and will not be bound by the Government's targets.
In the Dáil, Enda Kenny told Taoiseach Brian Cowen that the Opposition needs to know what the Government is planning so he can offer an alternative.
