Contrary to what you hear in the media, Europeans take longer vacations, but their economy is fine cepr.net/publications/e…

NERI Opening Statement - Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight - 'Views on the Overall Budgetary Package as set out in the Summer Economic Statement’ - nerinstitute.net/blog/neri-open… Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Ciarán Nugent Michael Taft Tom A McDonnell

Belief in the free market myth is the fatal error of center-left economics cepr.net/publications/t… The bad guys don't give a damn about the "free market," and the center-left are jerks for pretending they do.

There is a time change for the NERI Post Budget Analysis online seminar. It will now take place on Wed 8 October at 14:30. Details here - nerinstitute.net/events/2025/ne… Michael Taft SIPTU Michael Taft will present with Tom A McDonnell chairing #Budget2026

Notes on the Front is moving. You can now find it at notesonthefront.org . Hope to see you there.

There is always a lot of noise and numbers in the run-up to the budget. Here are a few facts that might help you survive the tsunami of assertions and assumptions on Tuesday: spending, poverty, profits, VAT cuts, multi-national bail-outs and much more: tinyurl.com/2ze7kcxh

Irish household wealth has surged, but the top 10% capture almost half of it and most of the gains. The bottom half own little. This isn’t shared prosperity, it’s entrenched class inequality.

There is always a lot of noise and numbers in the run-up to the budget. Here are a few facts that might help you survive the tsunami of assertions and assumptions on Tuesday: spending, poverty, profits, VAT cuts, multi-national bail-outs and much more. tinyurl.com/2ze7kcxh

So funny to see people argue higher union density is incompatible with more housing, when the housing crisis hit hardest in the countries with the lowest union contract coverage during the era of further declining unions.

Probably the most succinct (and correct) description of Budget 2026. Note: it is not so much 'pro-business' as 'pro-business owner'. It is highly debatable whether tax cuts will boost business productivity. And also note the 'austerity' headline above.

New blogsite by Michael Taft - notesonthefrontline.org and his first blog on the new site - notesonthefront.org/2025/10/03/som… Michael Taft Michael presents at a NERI seminar tomorrow on Budget 2026 - details here - nerinstitute.net/events/2025/ne… #budget2025

If you haven't had enough of Budget 2026 commentary, drop into NERI's Post Budget seminar tomorrow (Wednesday) at 2:30 where I will be be giving an analysis of the Government's budget. It's online and you can register here: nerinstitute.net/events/2025/ne…

Article by Social Justice Ireland Social Justice Ireland 'Budget leaves Ireland's more vulnerable households condemned to prolonged hardship' here - socialjustice.ie/article/budget… Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Michael Taft

Hospitality VAT cut was farcical. Tax cuts for property developers, however, were insidious. Developers’ lobby told the Government – give us more subsidy or we won’t help meet your housing targets. And the Government blinked. Because it has no strategy: tinyurl.com/bdfc9kwd

Hospitality VAT cut was farcical. But tax cuts for property developers were insidious. Developers’ lobby told the Government – give us more subsidy or we won’t help meet your housing targets. And the Government blinked. Because it has no strategy: tinyurl.com/bdfc9kwd

Video & presentation from Michael Taft SIPTU at the NERI Post Budget Analysis online seminar held on 8 October. Find here - nerinstitute.net/events/2025/pr… Michael Taft Tom A McDonnell #Budget2026 Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)

50% of households find it difficult making ends meet. Temporary measures won’t solve this. We need to promote wages and incomes, reshape market prices, and provide free public services. Affordability is one of the foundations of an alternative government. tinyurl.com/wzj3usnf

50% of households find it difficult making ends meet. Temporary measures won’t solve this. We need to promote wages and incomes, reshape market prices, and provide free public services. Affordability is one of the foundations of an alternative government: tinyurl.com/wzj3usnf

The first electoral test for progressives in the Connolly Coalition will be the Galway West by-election. A voter-transfer pact is essential to maximising support and the minimum needed to show that progressives are serious about building an alternative to the current Government.

The first electoral test for progressives in the Connolly Coalition will be the Galway West by-election. A voter-transfer pact is essential to maximising support and the minimum needed to show that progressives are serious about building an alternative to the current Government.