07 October 2025
Chambers Ireland has responded to Budget 2026, describing it as “a budget of two halves”.
Speaking today, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland Ian Talbot said that Budget 2026 offers welcome commitments on infrastructure and housing but leaves some questions unanswered for the business community:
“We welcome the investment proposals and the clear acknowledgement that housing and infrastructure delivery needs to be addressed. These are long-standing priorities for our Chamber Network. Translating these commitments into real progress on the ground will be essential.”
He continued:
“There are several measures that have the potential to unlock stalled projects and breathe new life into our urban centres. It is positive that the Living Cities Initiative is extended. We also welcome the emphasis on high-density housing developments and the new measures to incentivise appropriate development such as the Derelict Property Tax.”
Talbot said that it was a Budget of two halves, warning:
“Most businesses won’t experience any direct benefit from today’s measures. Instead they are dependent on the trickle down impact of critical infrastructure delivery. Their future competitiveness is also increasingly reliant on a growing number of ‘Action Plans’ but these must be converted into delivery mechanisms.
In addition the minor change to the taxation of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) will do nothing to divert the €160+ billion sitting in low-yield deposits into more productive, tax generating investment.”
“With our strong economy and resulting tax returns we have a unique opportunity to substantially change the tax system to encourage risk-taking, rather than making incremental changes to existing rules.” Talbot said. “But that opportunity is slipping away. We will never have as good an opportunity to make bold reforms that support entrepreneurship and innovation.”
Chambers Ireland’s Budget priorities focused on several key areas:
- The critical need to provide investment and scale-up the delivery of housing, energy, public transport, water and wastewater infrastructure to meet growing demands and secure lasting improvements to our national competitiveness.
- The imperative to promote business growth, prioritise our trading links, simplify reliefs and protect SMEs from increasing regulatory requirements that have further impacted the cost of doing business.
- The importance of investing in skills, fostering thriving towns and cities by tackling vacancy and dereliction, developing our urban areas in line with sustainable principles and prioritising social infrastructure.
Some of Chambers Ireland’s key budget recommendations included:
- A commitment to multiannual funding in water and wastewater treatment infrastructure.
- Continued investment in transport networks.
- Grid reinforcement and upgrades.
- Increased housing targets and investment in housing.
- Initiatives to stimulate Modern Methods of Construction.
- Support for developing port infrastructure.
- The introduction of a Strategic Capital Investment Scheme to support large scale, high growth projects across key sectors.
- Expansion and acceleration of non-domestic retrofitting supports.
- Further investment in childcare.
- Increased funding for apprenticeships.
- Facilitating SME engagement in International Trade.
Read the Chambers Ireland pre-budget submission here – LINK
Read Chambers Ireland Budget 2026 Recap here – Budget 2026 recap