Sir, – As a pensioner, I am not primarily concerned with how this budget impacts me. I am far more concerned about the problems it may create for my grandchildren’s generation.
Over the decades I have witnessed how economic circumstances can change with startling speed because of poor fiscal management at home and international instability outside our control. Invariably, the fallout hits ordinary people.
The 2008 crash dictates that the buffer must be built before the crisis, thus demanding that the Government build resilience, distinguish temporary windfalls from sustainable income and preserve sufficient financial manoeuvring space for inevitable oncoming “unknown unknowns”.
The Fiscal Advisory Council has not merely raised a concern about this budget, it has been warning about the same pattern that underpins it for several years.
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It is troubling that the council’s warnings, yet again, do not appear to have been given the weight that prudence would suggest, thus leaving my key concern unresolved, as to whether my grandchildren will inherit the benefit of today’s prosperity or the consequences of us having foolhardily spent it. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL GANNON,
Kilkenny.
Sir, – Pat Leahy’s assessment of Budget 2027 is apt: “When you try to please everyone, sometimes you can end up pleasing nobody” (“It takes a giveaway budget of €8.5bn to not annoy anyone – except Patrick O’Donovan”, Opinion, October 7th).
Is an alternative possible? How transformative would it be if the Government decided to direct the entire resources of the State towards solving one problem only. Rather than tinkering on the edges of tax or social welfare, ignore these and just fix housing, for instance. This is not an abstract idea. We saw during the Covid pandemic that such an approach can deliver results. Alas, in today’s world of risk averse politics it’s unlikely that any politician would take this idea on board. – Yours, etc,
DONAL MURPHY,
IFSC,
Dublin 1.
Sir, – I’m surprised at older people and pensioners’ expressions of annoyance and dissatisfaction with the latest budget. It has broadly sought to alleviate hardship at a time of serious global volatility.
Although I’m 10 or more years away from retirement, I can recall times when our annual budgets seemed to make life more difficult, raising taxes and prices simultaneously. It seems remarkable how we’ve moved from watching them with a sense of dread to one of entitlement or optimism. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
Sir, – Ireland ranks third in the EU in per capita spending on gambling. In Budget 2027 the funding to horse and greyhound racing was increased to a whopping €102 million. Perhaps with such a huge injection of taxpayers money we will rise to the top of the gambling rankings? Irony aside, it is not just families and individuals who are harmed as a consequence of gambling addiction. At the core of these industries is animal suffering. In the past 11 years, 1,396 greyhounds were killed on the track and a further 3,696 were injured. The worst year on record for track deaths was 2024. – Yours, etc,
JOAN BURGESS,
Annmount,
Cork.
Sir, – In the many reports about yesterday’s budget, there is frequent reference to increases in welfare payments. These stories include references to the State Contributory Pension. It’s about time we ceased referring to this as a welfare payment – it is not.
As the name illustrates, it is based on contributions, from employer and employee, over our working lives. One might argue that it is more akin to a defined contribution scheme as fewer contributions will result in a smaller pension.
This pension has been earned and is directly related to what we have contributed. No one would suggest that the payment of a private pension or occupational pension is a welfare payment and the fact that the State Contributory Pension is paid by the State doesn’t make it different.
Why does it matter? Because every year, at budget time in particular, there are voices suggesting this is giving something to the retired community that is based on some form of altruism on the part of the Government. It isn’t. – Yours, etc,
T GERARD BENNETT,
Bunbrosna,
Westmeath.
Sir – The cost of a packet of cigarettes has now gone up by €1. The average price for a packet of 20 cigarettes in Ireland is €16.70-€20.85 depending on the brand. One could argue that this price increase will push more people who smoke into buying illegal cigarettes.
I wish the money raised in taxes from cigarettes were specifically targeted towards the healthcare of people who vape and smoke. – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’BRIEN,
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.
