A senior government minister says it would be "foolish" to try and predict the shape of the next Budget six months in advance.

Joan Burton's comments come after the E-S-R-I said the era of austerity is now over - and that the budget can be balanced without new austerity measures.

The think-tank says water charges alone could be enough to balance the books, but the opposition aren't convinced.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly reports.