The accountant with a fastidious attention to his brief has built a reputation of being a shrewd but inscrutable operator
Michael McGrath in the Department of Finance: Generally well liked in the parliamentary party, McGrath has few enemies, but few truly close friends among colleagues. Photograph: Tom Honan“He’s been practising this speech for a long time,” says one Fianna Fáil colleague of Minister for Finance Michael McGrath, who will become the first minister from his party to deliver a budget from that post in 13 years on Tuesday.in 2011.
Budget 2024 talks: Childcare fees cut by 25%, €450 energy credit, mortgage tax break up to €1,250 among measures consideredBudget 2024, by a renter, a landlord, a teacher and more: ‘We are the squeezed middle’ Seamus McGrath, his brother and a Cork city councillor who is seen as one of his closest confidantes, was responsible for that. He is advised by Grant Sweetnam and Kevin Barrett, and is said to be particularly close to the latter, who worked for the party as an economic adviser before moving to Irish Life, returning when the party went into government. “He would trust Kevin with his life,” says a colleague.
His close alliance with Paschal Donohoe, forged during confidence and supply and copper-fastened in Coalition, is seen as the strongest connection in the Government. Generally even-tempered to a fault, some nonetheless remember him remonstrating at times withEven though he is in the job less than a year, there is speculation this could be his only budget as Minister for Finance. Colleagues exchange theories about whether he will be leader or appointed European commissioner next year.
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