The Minister for Finance has denied trying to win voters by raising the prospect of tax cuts.
Michael Noonan says the Budget next October will still need to implement 2 billion euro of tax increases and spending cuts.
He says he remains open-minded on possible tax changes - but only if the country can afford it.
And he says his proposals are all about creating jobs - and not about trying to win voters:
The minister's also attacked opposition TDs for claiming that up to 18,000 mortgage holders could find themselves without consumer protection.
He says former Irish Nationwide customers, whose mortgages are now being sold by IBRC, have no reason to worry.
Fianna Fáil claims that the loans could be sold abroad - leaving customers without protection from the Central Bank.
But the minister says putting extra terms and conditions on the loans would lower their sale value - but that mortgage holders don't need to worry:
