BUDGET SIGNAL 'WELCOME BUT NOT ENOUGH' - There is much comment on the Government's decision to bring forward the date of the Budget. The Irish Times editorial describes it as 'welcome news', and a signal from Taoiseach Brian Cowen that he is in control.
;It has been clear for some time that the fiscal measures announced last July to deal with the economic downturn were both inadequate and excessively crude,' the paper says.
It says, however, that Government's signal of deep disquiet over the economic situation is not enough, and the gravity of the situation has yet to impact on the general public.
'While that remains the case, it will be impossible to promote the need for voluntary wage and income restraint within the public and private sectors,' the paper says, urging Mr Cowen to reconsider making a 'state of the nation' address. 'There is a serious need for political leadership and a real public appetite for it. But there is an acceptance that social pain should be shared,' the Irish Times concludes.
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EARLY MOVE A 'CALCULABLE RISK' - The Irish Independent says we must give Taoiseach Brian Cowen and his ministers the benefit of any lingering doubts that they know how to get us through this economic downturn.
But the Indo says it is difficult to see how resumed national pay talks could reach any meaningful conclusion in advance of the Finance Minister's announcements on October 14.
'One downside to Mr Cowen's early Budget plan - and one which he and the Cabinet have clearly agreed is a calculable risk - is that it will be seen from overseas as a panic measure of some sort and have an adverse effect on investor confidence,' the paper says.
But it concludes that the urgency displayed by bringing forward Budget Day is welcome in itself. 'Considerably more important will be the actions decided between now and then,' it says.
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'TIME FOR LEADERSHIP, NOT POLITICS' - The Irish Examiner described the Budget move as 'an appropriate first response to the challenges presented by our rapidly deteriorating economy'.
The paper says the Finance Minister's statement does not contain many specifics, but there are some clues. It says there are two mentions of the construction sector. 'Speculation about a dramatic cut in stamp duty has begun, but whether this might be too little too late remains to be seen,' the Examiner says.
'If Mr Lenihan introduces measures designed to revive a wilting economy that are fair, that offer the prospect of success, he should have everyone's support. If his emergency budget, for that is what it is, is just a series of hopeful measures introduced with an eye on the next election then he will be perpetuating the practices that contributed so much to the mess we are in,' the paper says. It concludes: 'It is a time for leadership, not politics.'
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GOOGLE MOVE 'PARTLY DEFENSIVE' - The Financial Times reports on comments from Google's CEO, who says the internet search firm launched its web browser in part to stop its rival, Microsoft from 'Balkanising' the internet by carving it up in ways that favoured its own services.
Speaking in a video interview with the FT at the Republican national convention in St Paul, Eric Schmidt said Google's Chrome browser had been built mainly to create a more secure and stable platform for internet users.
But he also conceded that 'there is a defensive component' to the decision as Google tries to prevent Microsoft from using its dominant Internet Explorer browser to outflank it.
