What exactly is the Budget and why is it important?

Today is Budget Day, one of the biggest of the year in Irish politics.

Minister for Finance Jack Chambers and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe are delivering their Budget 2025 speeches, marking the plan for Ireland's public finances in the coming years.

With a proposed package of €8.3 billion, an expected announcement of how Apple’s €14 billion tax revenue will be spent, and a General Election around the corner, it has been predicted that another "giveaway Budget' could be on the way.

But what exactly is the Budget, and why is it important?