MORE CUTS ON HORIZON

Government departments will be forced to cancel funding for hundreds of programmes as current spending cuts of up to 5 per cent are being sought in each department. The departments will, this week, forward their proposals to the Minister for Finance for the next round of spending cuts to reduce Ireland’s huge budget deficit.
The Sunday Business Post said that Ministers had been given until next Friday to submit details of their cuts. The 5 per cent target is believed to be particularly difficult to reach because of the Government’s commitment to freeze public sector pay and pensions under the Croke Park agreement.
The report said that to reach the target the departments will have to engage in the wholesale cancellation of spending programmes. These are likely to follow the recommendations of the An Bord Snip Nua report, drawn up by economist Colm McCarthy last year.