We have just witnessed a budget of lost opportunity for equity investors

Penal taxes stalling the engine of investment

Michael Murray: the budget saw Michael Noonan do little to lighten the load on investors Picture: Maura Hickey

Fine Gael has historically been a party that stood up for those who invested, took risks, and didn’t rely on the taxpayer-funded state. Once upon a time, Fine Gael politicians spoke out and spoke up loudly for those who strived, and advocated fiscally-friendly policies for stock market investors, companies and individuals alike.

And there was a time when they eschewed the populism of pretending that you could have something for nothing, that every ...