This week on Taking Stock with Mandy Johnston: Are budgets an outdated piece of political theatre, or do they remain an important part of how our politicians manage this small open economy? Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times joins Mandy to discuss. Our news cycle was again consumed with Brexit with Sir David Frost insisting that EU proposals to resolve the Northern Ireland Brexit row were doomed - George Parker, Political Editor of the Financial Times, joined Mandy to discuss the UK reaction & what other challenges lie ahead beyond Brexit for Boris Johnson this winter. Jan Strupczewski the Deputy Bureau Chief in Brussels for Reuters on the EU/Poland constitutional crisis and growing EU inflation concerns Listen and subscribe to Taking Stock on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.      Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.