State’s spending plans could leave debt ratio at unsafe levels, Oireachtas told

Fiscal watchdog repeats warnings over government’s spending plans ahead of next month’s budget

Paschal Donohoe, the Finance Minister, will appear in front of an Oireachtas committee tomorrow to discuss the 2022 budget. Picture: Julien Behal Photography

Ireland’s spending watchdog today repeated its claim that the government is “evading difficult decisions” when it comes to public expenditure.

The Oireachtas budgetary oversight committee today heard from members of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) as part of its scrutiny of next month’s budget.

Sebastian Barnes, Ifac’s chairman, told the committee that the “long-term scarring effects” of Covid-19 on the economy are uncertain, and warn that a “significant shift” in the government’s deficit management ...