Budget 2025, reminiscent of the bonanza Celtic Tiger years, was leaked almost entirely before Ministers Jack Chambers and Paschal Donohoe took to the floor of the Dáil yesterday to deliver it. Former senior government advisor, Gerard Howlin, says that's down to the political reality of coalition parties competing to own their particular wins ahead of an impending election. The 2.2 billion euro spending package is widely viewed as an attempt to curry favour with voters instead of addressing more long-term systemic changes that fall outside the electoral cycle. Political editor, Pat Leahy, warns that a 'giveaway' budget does not automatically guarantee electoral success while political correspondent, Jennifer Bray, analyses how the opposition is framing the budget to successfully land the political blows.

Presented by Hugh Linehan. Produced by Aideen Finnegan.

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Host Hugh Linehan is joined by Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics:

· The budget was somewhat overshadowed this week by stories with far less cost involved, but no shortage of outrage – not least the final cost of Government Buildings security hut hitting €1.4 million and the row over the announcement of new sports capital grant funding for local clubs.

· Sinn Féin’s alternative budget has many worthy pledges but is ultimately futile without the party’s hands actually being on the levers of power.

· And the controversy around a letter of congratulations President Michael D Higgins sent in July to Iran’s new president Masoud Pezeshkian was reignited at a United Nations event in New York last Sunday.

Plus, the panellists pick their favourite IT reads of the week:

· Michael McDowell on the Government’s advanced administrative sclerosis.

· Mark Hennesy wrote of former taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s contention that immigration numbers have risen too quickly here.

· And Mary Carolan’s piece on the use of ‘inappropriate’ slang and cultural references in a judgment concerning a Co Clare wind farm.

Produced by John Casey.

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It's not that long ago that a Sinn Féin-led government after the next election was seen as something of a sure bet. Now, with polls showing the party losing almost half its support in the past year, the party's future seems much more uncertain.

So what happened to Sinn Féin's support, can it regain ground and where should it target its resources in the forthcoming campaign? Political scientists Theresa Reidy and Aidan Regan join Hugh to discuss.

Aidan Regan is an associate professor of political economy at the school of politics and international relations at University College Dublin. Dr Theresa Reidy is a senior lecturer in the department of government and politics at University College Cork.

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