Michael Noonan concluded his budget speech last year with the words "a new road for a new Ireland".  According to reports in the Sunday papers he looks to pick up exactly where he left off.

The Mail on Sunday reported that the Government is set to announce a €4.5bn capital investment on a new Luas line and a new motorway. The Luas is set to connect the airport to the city and run underneath Glasnevin cemetery.

This mooted connection of the airport to the city centre coincides with reports in the Sunday Business Post that The Dublin Airport Authority is planning a €1bn development, a 3.2 million square foot airport-style city in North Dublin.

The Sunday Times has reported that the Government is planning unveiling ambitious childcare plans in the October budget.

They are reporting that the Government will introduce free preschool to three years olds and will allocate an additional €50mn to subsidised childcare for low income families.

This plan will be based on the Future Investment in Childcare in Ireland which was unveiled by Minister for Children James Reilly in July.

The Sunday Independent carries the story that Labour and Fine Gael have agreed to set out different policies based on the same economic back drop.

As the Government announced in the Spring Economic statement, they believe they will have an additional €1.5bn to spend. Despite a subsequent recommendation from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council that the increase should be €700m, it is believed that the Government are still working off the €1.5bn figure.

It is believed that the Government is set to introduce changes to the PRSI system as well as cuts to the Universal Social Charge. It is also thought that Michael Noonan will increase in the  Minimum Wage from €8.65 to €9.15 an hour.

Attention will be firmly focused on Government spending plans over the coming weeks, with the election thought to be slated by the Taoiseach or February-March next year.