TÁNAISTE MARY Coughlan has told the Dáil that the date of the budget will be decided when the Cabinet meets next week.

She was pressed again by Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, who demanded to know the date for the budget, which he said was a “fairly significant day in the life of the House and the country”.

But Ms Coughlan, who to the hilarity of the Opposition, said “election” rather than “budget”, stressed that “the Cabinet will make the decision”.

She also said “the Cabinet did not meet yesterday and will not meet again until next week”, During the order of business, which Ms Coughlan took in the absence of the Taoiseach, Mr Gilmore said he had expected the Tánaiste to say December 2nd would be budget day. He was “greatly surprised” that she “appeared to indicate there was some uncertainty about the date of the budget”.

“This should be clarified and if December 2nd was not the date “what alternatives are being considered?” he asked. “Is it intended to bring the date forward and have it on an earlier date, will it be on another day on the same week or is it intended to put it back? It is a fairly significant day in the life of the House and the country and I seek clarity in this regard,” Mr Gilmore said.

Ms Coughlan replied that the Cabinet would not meet again until next week. “The Cabinet will decide what date the election”, which Jim O’Keeffe (FG) described as a “Freudian slip”.