Thanks largely to corporation tax receipts from multinationals, the Irish state has plenty of money. And so far this election campaign has been largely about how to spend it - on capital investment, on tax cuts and on new spending on all sorts of programmes and projects.
But with the threats to Ireland's economic model growing, will such spending be sustainable?
Hugh is joined by Professor John McHale, Shana Cohen and Cliff Taylor to discuss Ireland's economic position and whether election spending promises could lead to yet more boom and bust.
Shana Cohen is Director at Tasc, a progressive think-tank.
John McHale is Professor of Economics at University of Galway's J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics and a former chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.
Cliff Taylor is an economics columnist with The Irish Times.
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