Environment:Cuts in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, the Irish Heritage Trust, the Heritage Council and services to promote community and social inclusion were outlined in the pre-Budget Outlook for the Department of Environment yesterday.

However, the big spending elements - the €1.49 billion housing allocation and the €427 million water services programme - remain unchanged from last year.

The local government fund, the money provided to county and city councils, is to be reduced by 2 per cent to €527.3 million, while the overall provision for funding to local authorities fell by 8 per cent to €615.4 million.

Fire and emergency services have been scheduled for a 1 per cent cut in funding to €22 million.