Cabinet to discuss budget measures today
The cabinet is to hold a special meeting on the budget today.
Ministers will be looking at a range of cost cutting and tax raising options, which they hope will bring State spending under control.
While many ministers were away flying the flag for St Patrick's Day groups of civil servants in each department were busy drawing up options for possible inclusion in next month's budget.
Many of these options will be on the cabinet table today.
The overall aim is to raise about three billion in taxation and cut three billion from government spending
The proposals include possible changes to tax bands as well as increases in both direct and indirect taxation with the old reliables - petrol and cigarettes targeted again.
Also under consideration is a drop in V-A-T which its hoped would stem the flood of cross border shopping which in turn would offset any reduction in the overall VAT take.
