Opinion

Shane Coleman: Ministers must decide between saving the economy and winning the election

Paschal Donohoe and Michael McGrath are walking a tightrope between keeping their parliamentary parties happy and warnings over a budget splurge that could further fuel inflation

Paschal Donohoe, public expenditure minister, and Michael McGrath, finance minister: conflicting groups are determined to push them in a certain direction. Picture: PA

One (or at most two) budgets to save the government before the next election. And one (or at most) two budgets not to once again banjax the country.

Finance minister Michael McGrath and his public expenditure colleague Paschal Donohoe have a fairly concise ‘to-do’ list over the next 15 months. But that doesn’t mean their task is an easy one.

‘Prudent Paschal’ and ‘Moderate Michael’ will need to walk a political and economic tightrope between ...