Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is predicted that we will see a surplus of €10 billion this year, €16 billion next year and as much as €21 billion in 2026. Obviously, Sinn Féin and everyone must appreciate the volatility of our corporation tax receipts, which outlines the need for careful management of the public finances; however, even if we leave corporate tax receipts aside, we can still expect to see surpluses of more than €4 billion in the years to come. That makes it clear that the State has additional capacity to address crises in housing and health, and also to make the necessary investment in climate action measures without penalising ordinary workers and families. Of course, nobody is opposed to setting aside revenue for the purpose of addressing future challenges, but how this is managed remains an open question and requires further discussion. Will the Taoiseach outline whether he intends to use the available capacity to address the crises in health and housing and to ensure the necessary funding is put towards climate action measures?

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