Leo Varadkar rejects budget criticism from watchdog

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has defended the Government’s approach to the budget following a critical assessment by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC).

The watchdog has warned the Government not to “repeat past mistakes” as it argued that a large budgetary package is not needed this year.

The council has expressed concern at the plan to again breach the Government’s own rule not to increase core spending by more than 5%.

Varadkar rejected the assertion that ...