Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe says the figures confirm the momentum of the economy, despite significant external headwinds, like Brexit and the slowing global economy.

A huge national debt, as well as the twin threats of Brexit and a global slowdown, ensured Pascal Donohoe was never going to get involved in a giveaway, writes Neil Gibson

It comes after reports over the weekend that the Finance Minister has ruled out such an increase in pension, dole and carer's payments.

A developer is calling for the minimum size of co-living bedrooms at a new Dublin property to be reduced from 12 square metres to just over six.

Investment in infrastructure is bearing fruit in the form of rural regeneration, jobs growth, house building, and capital projects, to ensure balanced regional development, says Pascal Donohoe.

The Minister for Finance, Pascal Donohoe has emphatically ruled out suspending the work of NAMA pending the final report of the investigation into the sale of NAMA’s Northern Ireland loan portfolio.

Opposition parties are calling on the Government to take action after the forecast for economic growth was cut.

“Whoever is Prime Minister, we will work with them,” Leo Varadkar said.

Pascal Donohoe is an inclusive kind of a guy. He wraps his arms around all and sundry in his pronouncements on governance. Hence in yesterday’s budget speech we heard more than once about “our country”, and “our people” and “our children”. It’s no doubt heartfelt but also works well as a political tool. We’re all in this together, you, me, the butcher, baker and candlestick maker. And there is something for everybody in the audience.

Unlike teachers, school secretaries have precious little power in a system in which power talks and those without it must do without, writes Michael Clifford

They want the measure to recognise the valuable contribution grandparents make in helping parents go to work.

Project Ireland 2040 will make villages and towns more attractive places to live, in expectation of substantial population growth, says Michael Ring.

District court judges around the country are striking out drink-driving cases because of continuing delay in the Supreme Court issuing a ruling on a challenge to the law.

District court judges around the country are striking out drink-driving cases because of continuing delay in the Supreme Court issuing a ruling on a challenge to the law.

Pascal Donohoe has admitted he could have done more in today's Budget, but said he wanted to avoid the mistakes of the past.

Everywhere we look, in every sub-sector of Irish farming, we see that uncertainty and vagueness about what the immediate future holds — some will say that that’s the nature of any business — but farming and primary food is different, writes John Comer.

The budget will be a test of Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe, who now has complete control as a result of the two portfolios of finance and public expenditure being brought under his remit.

There is a warning the childcare sector is facing a recruitment crisis.

Update 11.21am: The Department of Public Expenditure has said that Minister Pascal Donohoe will not be revealing a timeline for public pay talks today.

Former politicians owe the State €42,300 as a result of overpayments to pensions.

The selling-on of debts is a fact of life when boom meets bust but there should have been robust protection standards in place to safeguard borrowers and tenants, writes Paul Joyce.

Fianna Fáil TDs are split on going into a coalition as junior partner to Fine Gael after the next election with those opposed fearing it would finish off the party.

An Irish Examiner poll has revealed that 94% of readers would like the Government to invest in a motorway between Limerick and Cork.

Plans to build a motorway from Limerick to Cork have been postponed.

Significant disruption to bus services has moved a step closer after Siptu drivers at Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann voted by more than 90% in favour of strike over plans to open up 10% of bus routes to private sector tendering.

More than a century of service to the seafaring community by the Coast Guard radio station in Valentia, Co Kerry, has been marked by the erection of a plaque to honour all who worked there.

A bereaved mother has accused Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe of “buck-passing” by failing to impose a 20km/h speed limit in housing estates.

Over the past several months reports and articles on Irish aviation have substantially focused on only one issue, but Cork airport has other problems, writes Paul Mills.

The chairman of Aer Lingus has appealed to trade unions at the airline to reconsider their opposition to the proposed sale of the company.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has said that he suspects that the Government has not received an offer for Aer Lingus that is "persuasive enough".

The Transport Minister Pascal Donohoe has said Michael O'Leary's view on the sale of Aer Lingus is “very much a matter for Michael” - while his job is to represent the Irish taxpayer.

Regional airports have been awarded €2m in support funding.

Blood samples can be taken from all drivers involved in road crashes from today - including those who cannot give consent.

Flights on the Kerry-Dublin route are attracting growing passenger numbers but the future of the service remains uncertain.

Increases in the number of penalty points imposed on drivers for various offences will come into effect this week.

Special Correspondent Michael Clifford casts a cold eye on Enda Kenny’s Cabinet reshuffle.

Labour has stepped-up pressure on senior Fine Gael adviser Frank Flannery to tell all to the Public Accounts Committee after his role trying to influence Government policy drew opposition fire.

Senator John Crowne has accused Fine Gael of lying in relation to the savings to be made by scrapping the Seanad.