Mr Norman McDonnell (66) is the owner and managing director of Oxwood Services, a Dublin firm which specialises in printing for engineering and construction consultants.

Overall, Mr McDonnell believes McCreevy's budget was a "reasonably responsible" one. "It was a balancing act. Nobody is going to get very offended by it, but then again he didn't give any sectors huge amount. I suppose a lot of people on social welfare will be getting increases, but you couldn't call them spectacular increases by any means."

However, given the predicted decline in Government borrowing from 2006 now being forecast, Mr McDonnell thinks the Budget was a political one.

"It is nice for them that borrowing will begin to fall just before they will be looking to get another term," he says of the current Government. "And if they have a bit more to give away in the budget in a few years, they may get that extra term".

Mr McDonnell has seen business pick up in recent months and is optimistic about the economic outlook. But he is still concerned that charges for essentials such as electricity and telephone calls are relentlessly creeping higher.