On balance, a pretty voter-friendly budget

The finance minister put a little extra cash in most pockets this year, fuelling speculation that Ireland is heading for the polls

Ahead of last Tuesday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stressed that Budget 2019 wouldn’t be an election budget. But after tweaks to the state finances that did a little for everyone, speculation remains that Ireland might be going to the polls in the not too distant future.

Posturing by Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin followed, with both sharing their thoughts on the likely extension of the confidence and supply deal between their two ...