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NEVER IN living memory has a government faced such challenges in framing a budget. This should be borne in mind now that the die is cast. The political team to deliver it were new and relatively inexperienced: Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, and Brian Lenihan in his first term at the Cabinet table. The choices were grim and the consequences for Ireland’s reputation, both domestically and, more importantly internationally, will determine the future of this State for a generation.

There will be many editorials written about the harshest budget in the history of the State. Suffice to say, on first reading, that the decisions taken rise up to the occasion financially. They were courageous, bold, above party politics, above sectional interest and they appear to have put the country first. Whether they are a programme for recovery remains to be seen. But, right or wrong, as some of them may be seen in coming days, at least there was an attempt to lead from the front.