Rehn-deers of doom and the nightmare budget before Christmas

VISITORS from the Arctic Circle usually stir great anticipation and excitement at this time of year, but the sudden arrival of Finnish EU Economics Commissioner Olli Rehn and his Rehn-deers of doom brought with it little but dread as he oversaw Ireland’s four-year kill-or-cure austerity plan which we prayed would not leave the economy dead.

Indeed, his lightning strike trip felt like the Finn end of the wedge...

’TWAS the nightmare Budget before Christmas, when all through Leinster House, not a Cabinet creature was stirring, not even a Fianna Fáil backbench mouse.