‘Disgraceful’ - Mixed reactions to Budget 2026 as multiple groups hit out at Government

KILDARE LIVE'S BUDGET 2026 COVERAGE IS SPONSORED BY KNIGHT FRANK BALLYCARN LODGE

There have been mixed reactions to Budget 2026 since its announcement on Tuesday afternoon.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers both addressed the Dáil after 1pm.

Minister Donohoe said the Budget will “invest in our future while securing the jobs, prosperity and stability of today”.

Minister Chambers added that it “represents an opportunity for a renewed economic and fiscal approach”.

Both ministers announced a range of measures to be introduced. Among the most noticeable was a VAT reduction for the hospitality industry, an increase in the minimum wage and the extension of the renters tax credit.

However, the absence of the one-off cost-of-living measures and increases in tax bands that have featured regularly in recent years has proved controversial.

Speaking in the Dáil, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty widely criticised those decisions, accusing the Government of leaving “ordinary people in the cold”.

He slammed Minister Donohoe and Minister Chambers for displaying “deluded arrogance” and receiving “self-congratuloraty applause”.

Addressing those ministers, Mr Doherty said: “Your big message here in this Budget [...] is that ‘you’re on your own’. This is a Budget written by Fine Gael [...] that abandons workers and families to look after those at the top.

He said that the Budget provided “no help” with the cost-of-living crisis and was a “blueprint for the continuation of the never-ending crises” in housing and health.

He added that it “reeks as a catalogue of handouts for those at the top” and “screws over” the working class.

Other opposition parties have also criticised the Budget, with Social Democrats Finance Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan describing it as “characterised by bad choices and missed opportunities”.

Meanwhile, Mr O’Callaghan’s Labour counterpart, Conor Sheehan, said the Government’s lack of focus on homelessness was “disgraceful”.

Outside of Leinster House, a number of other organisations have also been providing their reaction to the Budget.

Retail Excellence Ireland (REI), the largest representative body for the retail industry in Ireland, has said that the planned increase in the minimum wage is a “short-sighted and anti-business” measure which will lead to many businesses closing their doors.

Meanwhile, The Irish Wheelchair Association has described the Budget as “utterly disappointing”, citing the failure of the Government to provide for a permanent cost of disability payment.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said that it “lacks the ambition required” when it comes to scaling up staffing and capacity in the public health service.

Elsewhere, Simon Communities of Ireland said that “while it’s refreshing to hear that housing has been at the forefront of Government’s minds” the lack of mention of homeless prevention measures was “deeply disappointing”.

The Irish Heart Foundation also expressed their disappointment at the 50c increase on a pack of cigarettes, which it said was insufficient to drive significant reductions in Irish smoking rates.

However, other organisations have welcomed the Budget, with The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) expressing their delight at a reduction in VAT for food services.

Meanwhile, Property Industry Ireland, the Ibec group for businesses working in the property sector, welcomed the reduction in VAT for new apartments.

The primary school teachers' union, the INTO, said the €50 primary capitation increase showed the Government had heard the sector's calls.

The National Women’s Council (NWC) welcomed investment in childcare and some targeted measures to tackle women’s inequality but warned that overall Budget measures lacked ambition and will not address structural inequalities that women experience.

Chambers Ireland welcomed the Budget’s commitments on infrastructure and housing but said it leaves some questions unanswered for the business community.

While there is a lot left to unpack, Budget 2026 looks set to divide opinion right across the country over the coming weeks.