Tax returns beyond expectations: Resist chance to buy election

BY any criteria, exchequer figures released yesterday, showing that the State collected €45.6bn in tax last year, up €4.32bn on 2014 and €3.3bn more than the forecast at the start of 2015, represent an astounding change in fortunes for this small, open economy, especially as the carnage wreaked by the recession less than a decade ago is still so fresh in our memories. 

Those wounds have not yet healed as they must.

Though this is a huge relief and tremendously welcome, there is an air of a young man winning the Lotto just days before his stag party. The timing of this unexpected good fortune might make restraint difficult, newly-found capabilities might make temptations irresistible. Maturity and responsibility might be disastrously deferred again.