Donohoe and McGrath set to borrow their way through the pandemic

The Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure are putting their heads together for what will be the first of a series of borrowing budgets

Michael McGrath, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance: the cost of fighting the pandemic next year is put at between €15bn and €19bn. Picture: Julien Behal Photography

The Department of Finance in Dublin was the location for a 1965 British film about a Chinese warlord who was hell bent on world domination. The Face of Fu Manchu starred Christopher Lee, as “the most evil man the world has ever known”.

We know this fascinating detail because online visitors taking part in last week's virtual tour of the department for Culture Night were told about how its south block doubled for London’s Scotland ...