The Margin is proud to announce the first "leak" of the next Budget, which will be presented in December. Another whopping increase in child benefit is on the way. After all, when he presented his first budget shortly after the birth of his son, Conan, Ruairi Quinn introduced a big increase in child benefit.

And now, shortly before his first Budget, Charlie McCreevy and his partner Noleen are to be congratulated on the birth of their new son, Jack. Now, as a leading indicators of budget policy goes, the Margin thinks this must be pretty significant.