The government “aim to make expectations realistic by pointing out that all things aren’t possible”, according to Finance Minister Michael Noonan.

Speaking to The Right Hook this evening, Mr Noonan said the spring statement was not intended as a mini-budget, but rather as following best international practice.

“We never flagged (the spring statement) as a mini budget,” he said, but the government rather the intended to “provide everybody who’s interested ... with the basic information of the amount of resources that are available to the government.”

“We know now looking forward to the budget that we have resources enough that we wouldn’t be required to cut expenditure further or to raise taxes,” he added.

Listen below to the interview in full