Ministers have moved to play down speculation of some-form of an easing of the austerity for middle-income tax-payers in the October budget.
The Irish Times reported this morning that an un-named Fine Gael Minister was confident of a gesture to the hurting middle-income taxpayers who were suffering austerity fatigue.
It followed from comments by the deputy leader of the Labour Party Social Protection Minister Joan Burton who insisted people had "reached the limits" of austerity.
The report claimed that the Cabinet had already started discussions on the budget which is to be held 2 months earlier than normal from this year in order to comply with new EU budget rules.
But it is understood that the Cabinet as a whole has yet to begin any detailed discussions.
Last year negotiations were carried out by the Economic Management Council (Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Finance Minister and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform) and full Cabinet discussions only happened near the end of the process.
Speaking in Luxembourg this morning, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore describe the report as "purely speculative".
He went on to say that "this is April, the budget is in October".
At an announcement of new policies aimed at creating more manufacturing jobs Ministers Ruairi Quinn and Richard Bruton agreed that it was way too early to be talking about what may be announced on budget day.
