Independents stir amid pre-budget calm

This day next week, the nation will hold its breath for the announcement of Budget 2018.

Ok . . . maybe not. The country appears to be unaware such an announcement is pending.

It is rare to have such little debate or discussion in the run-up to the budgetary announcement.

Not one single kite has been flown by Government Ministers. Not a foot stomped or an election threatened by Fianna Fail. A minor wobble by Willie O’Dea in the Sunday Independent over the pension (again) was met with exasperation by his colleagues.

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It has fallen to the Independent Alliance to give us any bit of pre-budget excitement. After a “tense” and “difficult” meeting last week, the group will meet Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe today to get their demands over the line.

Members of the Alliance feel their support is being taken for granted by Mr Donohoe and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The Alliance is seeking a big-ticket item it can claim as its own and is determined to give the two new boys in town a taste of life living with Independents.

Donohoe and Varadkar are eager to ensure their fingerprints are all over this budget but will not be foolish enough to forget the many mouths they have to feed.

Fine Gael held their monthly meeting of Ministers last night to assess the state of play. Today the Minister for Finance will bring the annual white paper to Cabinet.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein will today announce its pre-budget submission with leader Gerry Adams, deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald and finance spokesman Pearse Doherty giving us a taste of what life under the reign of Sinn Fein would look like. Labour will follow on Wednesday.

Solidarity and People before Profit will unveil their offerings on Thursday. It is not known whether Fianna Fail will treat us to such a spectacle.

This week will mark the beginning of the crucial budgetary discussions for Donohoe and Varadkar. It will be the first test of the two young guns. With little manoeuvre and a cast of thousands to feed, it will not be an easy battle.

Keep up to date with all things budget-related via our Budget 2018 site.