Budget 2026: Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers and Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe. This budget is the anti-populist budget, offering little to middle income earners and no once-off sweeteners. Photograph Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
This time last year the outgoing government engaged in a bout of pre-election populism, spreading the cash around to households through tax cuts, welfare increases and a range of once-off payments. This year’s Budget 2026 package, the first of the new Coalition, is the exact opposite. It is the anti-populist budget, offering little to middle income earners and no once-off sweeteners.
After last year’s splurge, this budget asks households to go “cold turkey” – and many will notice the absence of personal tax reliefs, energy credits and double child benefit weeks in their pocket.
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