The Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, has said that in his Budget tomorrow he intends 'to borrow modestly and invest ambitiously'.
He said he would be increasing all social welfare payments above the rate of inflation.
Mr Cowen also told RTÉ News that his tax measures would ensure that those on the minimum wage were kept out of the tax net and that those on average earnings continue to pay tax at the lower rate.
But the Minister also appeared to imply that a cut in stamp duty to assist the property market may be a possibility.
Earlier, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Martin Cullen, said that the issue of any social welfare cuts in tomorrow's Budget was absolutely not on the agenda.
He said that despite the tighter budgetary situation the Government finds itself in, there has been no hint or mention of any cuts along the lines of the so-called Dirty Dozen social welfare cuts introduced in similarly tight budgetary circumstances five years ago.
Mr Cullen said that maintaining the value of recent improvements in welfare payments for the least off would be a priority in the Budget.
He said that maintaining the value of minimum welfare payments at one third of the average industrial wage has been the basis of his negotiations with Minister for Finance Brian Cowen for the past six weeks.
Mr Cullen said that he was not yet long enough in the Department of Social Welfare to deliver any major welfare reforms this year, but that he will be working towards significant social welfare reforms in the future.
He also said the Government has made sure than the value of the improvements in welfare payments delivered in recent years will be maintained in the Budget tomorrow.
