The Finance Minister has started presenting his Budget for 2011. The main points of the Budget are:
* GDP growth in real terms of 3% next year.
* A reduction of the government deficit to 2.8%
* Incentives to promote job creation
* Minimum wage earners offered financial assistance to join training courses
* Scrappage scheme announced to reduce the number of old cars
* Excise duty on fuel to rise by 3c per litre immediately
* Excise duty imposed on cement
* Excise duty on cigarettes rising by between 3-4%
* Duty on spirits rises by 13% - duty on local beer up by 1c
* VAT on hotels and other accommodation services raised to 7% from 5%
* Cost of living increase of €1.16, also applicable in full to pensioners.
* Increase in services pension
* Measures to encourage purchase of electric cars
* Science and Technology Centre to be set up in Kalkara
* €41m allocated for arterial roads
* Increased spending on tourism, education and health
* New subsidy scheme on purchase of solar heaters
* €200 increase in tax rebates for parents of private school students