Is the Budget a meaningless set-piece theatre?

1% of what Apple owes is the entire ‘fiscal space’ available, writes Brian Lucey. 

The budget is by now largely meaningless example of set piece theatre. It is a high point of the political year for the finance minister to deliver his plans.

Our political system favours strokes. All of 40 years ago, Fianna Fáil swept into power on the basis of a massive plan of tax cuts.Domestic rates were abolished.