Economist Jim Power predicts no major budget pay-off for Coalition

Speaking at a business event in Kinsale, the 'Irish Examiner' business columnist said: 'Housing is one big area where we would have to be critical of the government'

Economist Jim Power said: 'Budget 2024 was the third generous budget in a row, but the opinion polls suggest that this won’t change the fortunes of the main political parties in the local and national elections.'

The Coalition parties could pay a high electoral cost for their failure to use the budget to accelerate investment in housing, economist Jim Power has said.

Speaking at a business event in Kinsale, Mr Power said the housing crisis required a "crisis management" strategy akin to the State’s cross-departmental response to the pandemic.