Positioning for an election?

Perhaps not, but the thought strikes reading this, this morning that:

The Government is to pull back from spending all the money available to it in this year’s budget, in a move which will lead to conflict with Fianna Fáil.
The dispute could threaten the confidence-and-supply agreement that underpins the minority government.
The Irish Times understands senior figures in Government believe it would be “crazy” to spend all of the €3.2 billion – or higher – available to Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe in the last budget of its deal with Fianna Fáil.
“You would be mad to spend it all,” said a senior Government source. “No economist in the world would.”

How very Fine Gael.

And interesting too the expression of a worldview – and how pervasive it is in the article when it continues:

It is understood the view that some of the money which would ordinarily be spent on tax cuts and spending increases should instead be held back has hardened in recent weeks. Sources said this opinion is particularly strongly held by Mr Donohoe and his officials in the Department of Finance.

Why tax cuts. Of course.

Actually, just from the polls and the general political weather the idea of any party really being enthused about an election now seems a little unlikely. But on the other hand both FF and FG will be pushing back here and there at the other. And it takes only so much before…