THIS YEAR, in what might be called a case of double-accounting, the traditional budget day set-piece has been abandoned by the Government in favour of a two-act production starring Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Public Reform Brendan Howlin.

The torture will now stretch over two days – the first speech dealing with cuts and the second addressing tax.

The Dáil, which does not normally sit on Monday, is to be recalled on December 5th for the first leg, when Howlin will outline what a finance spokesperson has described as “the expenditure side”.

This will be the cuts element, dealing with areas such as social welfare, health and education.

Then the following day, December 6th, when it had been expected that Michael Noonan would deliver a normal-style budget speech, the Minister for Finance will outline the tax measures he is proposing.

Among other things, the public will have to wait until day two to find out what will happen to the “old reliables” – drink and fags.

This new format is being adopted “as part of an integrated strategy for growth”. There will be a Dáil debate following both speeches.

The Howlin-Noonan double act should mean that their respective speeches will be shorter than the ones to which we have become accustomed. Although, in recent years, the fact that so much detail is flagged in advance has put paid to the Dáil marathons of old.

It is not known if Mr Howlin will get a special briefcase to mark his part in this new 48 hour approach.

The custom these days is to present the budget in disc form to the photographers in advance of the official disclosure.

Perhaps the two Ministers can be given a special boxed set for the occasion.

Given the ongoing upset about pre-election promises, it might be best if neither men get the details on a memory stick.

Meanwhile, a Government source says Taoiseach Enda Kenny is expected to make his much-heralded televised State-of-the nation address on Thursday next, probably after the nine o’clock news.