Budget date the 'third mystery of Fatima'

LABOUR FINANCE spokeswoman Joan Burton sharply criticised the Government’s delay in announcing the date of the budget during sharp exchanges at yesterday morning’s Dáil Order of Business.

“This is becoming close to the third mystery of Fatima,’’ she said.

“By tradition, it is the first Wednesday of December, but the Government is refusing to say.’’ She said there was a deep suspicion that the Government intended to have the budget later, right on top of the Christmas party season, so that the public would pay little or no attention to it.

“Can you give us the date of the budget, and can you confirm that it will be the first Wednesday in December?’’ she added.

“We were told by the Taoiseach yesterday that it will definitely be before Christmas. The custom for a lot of people in this country is to actually start celebrating Christmas some time about the 18th to 20th of December.’’

Ms Burton also said there was a tradition of publishing the estimates so that the Opposition could have an understanding of the Government’s fiscal intentions.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan said those matters would be determined at a Cabinet meeting later in the afternoon.