The Government finalised its £49 million package of savings to fund the nurses pay increase at yesterday's Cabinet meeting. It also finalised the Estimates for the Public Service, which will be published on March 26th.

A formal agreement between Ireland and Denmark on the holding of two or three days supply of oil stocks was also approved. An industrial grant of £1.75 million for the Finex company in Killorglin, Co Kerry, was also approved. It is expected to lead to an increase of 150 jobs. The Government also decided to waive copyright restrictions on Acts of the Oireachtas going on the Internet. This would allow people to put all Acts and regulations passed on to the Internet without charge.