Budget 2024

The €14bn budget to woo back voters

Devoid of any big bang measure or vision, Ministers Michael McGrath and Paschal Donohoe missed a glorious opportunity to deliver radical change in Budget 2024

Minister for Finance Michael McGrath and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe. Despite unleashing spending of €14 billion in the budget, the chief complaint made to both ministers is that there were no major new policies or initiatives. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

Never has it taken so long for ministers to say so little of significance, was the opening jibe of Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway-Walsh in her speech on Budget Day in response to finance minister Michael McGrath and public expenditure minister Paschal Donohoe.

Despite unleashing spending of €14 billion in Budget 2024, the chief complaint made to both ministers is that it turned out to be something of a damp squib, with no major new ...