Government set to miss deadline for submitting EU budget document - Howlin

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin speaking at the Spring Economic Statement at Government Buildings.

Gavin McLoughlin

Ireland is likely to fail to submit an important budget document to Europe on time, according to Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin.

The so-called "stability programme update" - containing an official economic forecast and an assessment of the country's fiscal position - is supposed to be submitted by the end of the month.

But Mr Howlin wrote in an "Irish Times" column published this morning that there is set to be a "failure" to send the document on time. He said this was something the markets "will undoubtedly notice".

The document has to be approved by Government before being dispatched. The newspaper reports that ministers believe the caretaker administration cannot do this as the plan will have to be implemented by the next administration.