"It's because this is a situation without precedent..."

The Hard Shoulder Highlights

The Hard Shoulder Highlights with Kieran Cuddihy on Newstalk. Join Kieran every weekday afternoon from 4-7pm for a round-up of the day’s events, interviews with the people at the centre of the stories – and a bit of craic along the way. Listen and subscribe to The Hard Shoulder on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

"It's because this is a situation without precedent..."

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe responded to criticisms around his Budget by saying that the possibility of a No Deal Brexit has put the country in a situation 'without precedent'. He was speaking to Ivan on the Hard Shoulder this evening following his Budget 2020 speech in the Dáil. The basic social welfare rate wasn't touched - a particularly unusual occurrence. Ivan sees housing as one of the biggest issues in front of the Government right now, and is skeptical as to just how effectively the Budget will address those issues. "If you look at the sweep of what I put in place today ... there is a strong response. But I am aware of the frustrations." In response to Ivan's assertions that the Government has abandoned the Rainy Day Fund, the Minister told him, "...the rainy day is meant for a rainy day, and if No Deal Brexit isn't a rainy day, I don't know what is."

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"It's because this is a situation without precedent..."