Ministers across several departments have clashed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) in recent meetings as fraught negotiations continue within Government over the tightest budget for years.
With less than a week before it is announced, no senior Minister had last night agreed their financial allocation for next year as the department holds firm on spending demands, according to several people involved in the process.
While there is an expectation that settlements will be agreed in the coming days, sources said this approach meant some big-spending departments were still locked in disagreement with DPER – including the departments of Health, Children, Housing and Social Protection.
Political Editor of The Irish Times, Pat Leahy, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this,