Tánaiste Mary Coughlan told the Dáil today the Government will publish its pre-Budget outlook next week.
In response to a question by Labour’s Joan Burton, Ms Coughlan said the outlook will be published on November 12th.
Fine Gael’s Alan Shatter asked the Tánaiste when the Social Welfare Bill containing budget changes to welfare payments would be introduced.
“When can we expect the predicted harsh measures that the OECD has said that this State requires will be actually implemented?” Mr Shatter asked.
Ms Coughlan said the Government has yet to make a decision on the issue.
“The date of the publication of the Social Welfare Bill will be dependent on whether matters have to be brought into legislative frameworks prior to the first day of January and that decision hasn’t been made yet by the Government,” she said.