Paul Hosford: Public patience has limits — especially when their tax cut is on the line

Budget choices reveal deeper values, but without clear public benefit, a VAT cut risks being seen as a giveaway for business

It is estimated that cutting the Vat rate for the hospitality sector, including pubs, restaurants, hotels, and hairdressers, would cost €867m per year. File picture

Like Christmas, it feels like the budget comes around earlier every year.

Part of that is the fallow summer period during which the idle hands of the country's political journalists are searching for work.