Ryanair CEO Micheal O'Leary has topped an online poll conducted by Boylesports to find out which business person the Irish public would like to see help prepare the Budget.

82% said they thought it was a good idea for the Government to enlist the help of a successful Irish business person from the private sector when preparing the Budget - with Michael O'Leary being the people's choice (46%). Dermot Desmond came in second with 12% of the vote.

Eddie Hobbs was the top economist in the poll, with 43% of people saying they would like to see him assist the Government when preparing the budgetary finances.

Fine Gael's George Lee (40%) emerged as the politician the Irish public would trust most with their life savings. Lee's party colleague Richard Bruton (21%) and Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan (19%) were also considered as safe options for people's savings.

26% of respondents chose the Taoiseach Brian Cowen as the politician they would be happiest lending money to. 24% went with Eamon Gilmore, while 21% would be happiest lending money to Enda Kenny. Not surprisingly only 1% of those surveyed chose John O'Donoghue.

78% believed public sector cuts are necessary to assist in achieving the €4bn savings needed. There was a 50:50 split between those who believed that NAMA was the best solution to the banking crisis and those who would have preferred to see the banks being nationalised.

Commenting on the survey results, Leon Blanche, head of PR for Boylesports told Bettingpro this afternooon

"There were some interesting findings in this online research, especially the fact that a whopping 82% would like to see input from a successful business person. 68% said they didn't believe the Opposition parties offered credible alternative Budget options to the Government, so next year we might just see the likes of a Michael O'Leary lending a hand with preparing the country's finances."