Working people view Budget 2026 with shock and disbelief, Mary Lou McDonald says

Working people are “in shock and disbelief” over Budget 2026, said Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said at Leaders Questions.

The Taoiseach faced his opposition counterparts on Wednesday afternoon to defend the measures outlined in Tuesday’s Budget.

Accused of only looking after “those at the top”, Micheal Martin repeatedly had to defend measures which will help developers and large food chains.

They include the reduction of VAT for food and catering businesses and on apartment sales as well as further corporation tax deductions for some of the costs of building apartments.

Ms McDonald told the Taoiseach: “You say that your budget was about protecting the economy, but you’ve pulled the rug from under the very people who are the engine of that economy.”

Mr Martin claimed, using the Central Bank’s formula, the Sinn Fein Alternative Budget “would add two and a half percent to the cost of living, to inflation”.

He said the Government’s Budget would help build up public services, adding: “Workers in this country want better water services, want more houses, want better public transport, want more roads, better education services, better health services.”

Responding, the Sinn Fein leader said: “I’ll tell you what workers want, Taoiseach, they don’t listen to your bluster.

“They want to be able to pay their bills, they want to be able to feed their children, they want to be able to run their homes.”

Addressing the Taoiseach, Ivana Bacik took aim at the cost of childcare, the level of fees students will pay, and impact of the cost-of- living crisis on families.

She also said there was “nothing” in the Budget for disabled people or carers. The Labour leader told the Dail the removal of one-off support payments in the Budget is expected to cost disabled people 1,400 euro a year, declaring “that’s not loose change, it’s money that keeps the lights on”.

The Taoiseach said the Budget contains “significant increases in a range of payments” including disability pension, the domiciliary care allowance and funding for services for people with disabilities.

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairn focused on child poverty and homelessness, claiming: “It is just astounding that on Budget Day, the Minister for Finance failed to even mention the 16,000 people living in homelessness.”

The Fianna Fail leader pointed to “a whole series of measures which cumulatively will make an impact on consistent poverty”.

He said they include uplifts in weekly child support payments, core welfare rates and fuel allowances as well as an increase in the thresholds for the Working Family Payment and extension of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to two and three-year-olds.