Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called on the Taoiseach to follow the comments of Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers and admit that Budget 2026, introduced last October, did not deliver for workers.
Speaking on Tuesday about the spring economic forecast, Chambers said “we had a budget last year which didn’t give workers a break”.
The Sinn Féin leader said in the Dáil: “There it is, your own Minister finally saying out loud what we have been telling you for six months, and what you’ve been denying for six months – that your €9.4 billion budget did absolutely nothing for ordinary working people. In fact, it left them worse off,” she said.
Micheál Martin rejected her call and insisted the Government did not withhold money but channelled it into areas of greatest need, as public expenditure would be up by 8.6 per cent. “That’s not failing anybody.”
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In his comments Chambers referred to decisions made “for other sectors of the economy”, including hospitality and developers.
The Minister also said: “I think for any tax package, that will have to be a priority in the context of Budget 2027,” as the Government faces pressure for additional supports six months ahead of the next budget.
The Sinn Féin leader said the last budget “drove the deep anger and frustration that we now see across the State, as prices are rising, bills mounting, and while working families were under the most severe pressure you withdrew supports, you abandoned your election promises, one after another, and you left people high and dry.”
The Taoiseach said housing was the biggest issue facing the State and the Government had put unprecedented investment into housing, allowing young people to benefit from “significant supports”.
He added that it had also “critically put huge investment into infrastructure”.
Budget 2026 had also increased State pensions by €10 and child support payments had increased, he said.
The Sinn Féin leader said the Taoiseach was ignoring the “immediate reality” that hundreds of thousands could not pay their electricity bills and families were struggling with rent and grocery bills.
“There is nothing strategically positive about leaving people in poverty,” she said.
But the Taoiseach said she ignored the fact the Middle East war was a significant factor in fuel price increases.
