A prize for "early bird" pre-Budget submission goes to the Irish Pro Share Association, the group working to promote employee financial involvement in Irish companies.

Ipsa wants the Government to come on board with its vision for employee share ownership, which it says leads to higher productivity levels and greater employment stability, leading to stronger growth prospects for employers.

Ideally, this would see changes to the tax regime to make such structures attractive on both sides, says Ipsa.

Whether Minister for Finance Michael Noonan will be in the frame of mind to remember this by the time October comes around is anybody’s guess.