Winners and Losers of Budget 2026: Who Actually Benefits?

In a year where the cost of eggs is higher than ever and rent prices continue to climb, the Irish government has unveiled Budget 2026, its plan for spending our money and collecting more of it. 

You’d hope this plan would directly target our country’s biggest challenges: homelessness, poor infrastructure, cost of living and our overreliance on corporation tax. But after reviewing the details, I’d hold their hand gently and tell them: the cup is half full. 

Small Wins, Big Gaps

This is one of the most restrained budgets in recent years, with only small wins for the average tax payer. Social welfare payments have increased, and the minimum wage is up by 65 cents an hour. However, the accompanying PRSI increase of 0.1% almost cancels that out. To the government’s credit, both the Rent Tax Credit and Mortgage Interest Relief have been extended. These steps offer some relief, but in a market where costs continue to rise, these measures don’t go far enough to create lasting change.

Corporate Ireland Still Gets the Good Stuff

Meanwhile, corporate incentives remain strong. The R&D tax credit was extended, and developers benefit from a VAT reduction on new apartments, designed to boost investment and supply. Those measures make economic sense in the long run, and we do need more housing supply.  But it’s fair to ask: where’s the same level of ambition for ordinary people trying to build their future here?

Young People: Still Locked Out

For young people, this budget offers very little hope. The dream of owning a home still feels like a fantasy when the average house price in Dublin is €465,000 and a typical deposit requires saving €46,500. That's years of disciplined saving while paying rent that leaves little room to actually save.

And if you're thinking, "I'll just invest my way to financial security," think again. Retail investing, normalized and encouraged across Europe and the globe, is still being made harder than it needs to be for Irish people.

The government did reduce the ETF exit tax from 41% to 38%. That's something. But deemed disposal, the rule that forces you to pay tax on unrealized gains every eight years, even if you haven't sold anything, is disappointingly still in place. This is the real reason many people avoid ETFs entirely. Imagine being taxed on profit you haven't actually made yet. It's a uniquely Irish barrier to building wealth

A Missed Opportunity

Budget 2026 could have been a turning point, a chance to create real change that we’d actually feel in our daily lives. Instead, it’s another cautious step that doesn’t quite match the scale of the challenges we're facing.

You could argue these are “proactive” measures in a turbulent geopolitical climate, and there’s some truth to that. But it still feels like a missed opportunity to do more for ordinary people who are struggling right now. 

So What Can We Actually Do?

We can shop smarter. Compare energy providers, rethink where our money goes.We can protect our savings by learning to invest rather than letting our money lose value to inflation. 

And most importantly, we can use our voices. Write to our TDs, show up at the polls, and remind the government that we’re paying attention.

Because that’s how we reclaim our power: by asking questions, making smarter choices, and demanding better. 

The cup might be half full, but I think it's time we start asking why it isn’t overflowing.