Much of the 2017 budget has already been leaked to the press. Here’s a round-up of what has been reported ahead of the formal presentation.

Macroeconomic figures

• Economic growth to hit 1.7% next year
• Inflation to rise slightly to 0.5%
• Budget deficit will go down to 0.5%
• Unemployment to drop further
• People in work will have 1% more to spend on average
• Pensioners’ spending power will rise by 0.7%

Total extra spending: €2.6bn

• €400m for health, much of which will go on nursing homes
• €300m extra for defence, to be spent on equipment, munitions and communications technology
• €221m more for the police
• €229m for counter-terrorism, the national forensic institute and cybercrime
• €100m to help poor children take part in sports and music lessons
• €50m for single income households with a chronically sick partner
• €200m for education
• €10m for top flight sport
• €10m for the arts and culture

According to the AD, the government is planning extra measures to boost the spending power of poorer families and pensioners set to cost €1.1bn

This will be paid for by cutting tax breaks on labour, raising amount of tax payable in the third tax band and cutting entitlements to healthcare benefits.