Final budget negotiations are continuing this afternoon as a number of Departments make their last bids for funding. Ministers have described the process as difficult this year and say there will be cuts in multiple Departments. Among the final issues for negotiation are the allowances for the Department of Housing.
Core social welfare rate increases will be between 8 to 10 euro a week. A cut of 500 euro to student fees, down to €2,500 a year, has been agreed - while there are final talks on expanding the scope and level of the SUSI grant. Local Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny outlined what he'd like to see in the budget earlier today:
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Roscommon-Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice has concerns about student fees for families in the region:
