Paschal Donohoe is not an abrasive or a prickly type of politician. He rarely raises his voice during debates or interviews, preferring to win an argument by words rather than volume. In February, however, the finance minister was clearly agitated. The election was just days away. The Irish economy was booming, and unemployment had flatlined. Yet, Fine Gael was getting little electoral credit for its stewardship of the economy, and Donohoe was taking particular umbridge about some of the economic promises made by its rivals, particularly around housebuilding and Capital Gains Tax. In an attempt to woo the business lobby,…

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