In the middle of July, the Department of Finance published its Summer Economic Statement, a document designed to set the parameters, and limitations, around budgetary negotiations. The document forecast a deficit of just over €34.5 billion for 2021 and 2022 combined, a hefty number largely attributable to the weight of Covid-19 economic supports. We knew that the numbers had improved since then. Today, however, we discovered just how staggering that improvement had been when the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe revised the forecast to €21.5 billion for both years, a reduction of 40 per cent. It represents an amazing turnaround…

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