The answer will go a long way to determining whether Simon Harris regrets his decision to take the job of Minister for Finance. There is more than enough, in other words, to occupy a new finance minister. Another big budget surplus is in prospect despite a large State spending overrun of more than €4 billion. We have got used to spending growth of 8 or 9 per cent a year. Big investors here crave certainty and predictability and the Minister for Finance is seen as the key figure offering this.
