Irish government plans tough budget

The Irish government is set to announce a series of tough measures

The Irish Government is expected to reveal later the extent of budget cuts for the next four years.

It is the first in a series of capital and public spending cuts, as well as public sector reforms ahead of the budget in December.

The four-year tax and cut programme is meant to show the markets how Ireland will reduce its deficit and assure consumers about what lies ahead.

The government needs to find 3.6bn euro in savings in next year's budget alone.

The proportion of that to come from lower spending or higher taxes is expected to be confirmed on Friday.