While not an election budget, it could well be Paschal Donohoe’s final budget before we find ourselves at the polls, writes Daniel McConnell

Paschal Donohoe must deliver a budget singlehandedly for the first time with little or no money to give out. Yet, an endless stream of expectation lurks from every corner, writes Daniel McConnell.

“Our Taoiseach calling a female politician cranky... Not good,” was one message on Twitter on Wednesday evening.

By lurching so sharply to the right, Leo Varadkar is gambling that he can secure enough of a mandate from those who get up early in the morning to lead the next Government, writes Daniel McConnell.

Leo Varadkar has a lot of help in shaping his image. The tax-funded resources dedicated to ‘spinning’ on his behalf are considerable.

If the PSC walks like a national ID card and talks like a national ID card, then guess what — it is a national ID card, writes Daniel McConnell. 

There is no desire for another bruising election, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell

It has been far more difficult for my generation to get on the property ladder, we have no hope of having a pension like those of the baby boomers, writes Daniel McConnell

There are plenty within Fianna Fáil who would much easier do a deal with Sinn Féin than with Fine Gael, writes Daniel McConnell.

Martin has done a decent job of reversing the fortunes of Fianna Fail since its devastating defeat in the general election of 2011 but he is not the complete leader even still, writes Daniel McConnell