Donohoe failed to put personal stamp on maiden budget speech

Back in 1967, on April 11 to be precise, the then minister for finance delivered a very long and very remarkable budget speech. 

Charles Haughey was his name, and he spoke for what seemed like hours. When he was finished he was greeted with sustained applause, and shouts of “the best ever” (led by Ray Burke’s father, of all people).

The speech is best remembered for one paragraph, which read as follows: “The electricity bill can be a worry when resources are