Budgets are always a delicate balancing act. They must signal ambition while staying grounded in reality, and be prudent without losing their populist edge. They need to leave taxpayers feeling better off while convincing economists and fiscal watchdogs that the Government has not spent too much, too quickly.  They must do this within a context – and that context is both domestic and international. Growth is weak across much of the developed world, governments are grappling with higher costs and geopolitical uncertainty, and the old assumptions about ever-rising global trade and prosperity look increasingly fragile.  Meanwhile, at home, Ireland is…

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