Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

Budget 2026 is about protecting and supporting jobs in the face of turbulent economic headwinds. As the first of five budgets that will be delivered over the lifetime of this Government, of course we cannot achieve everything we wish to at once and there will always be more that we can do. However, the permanent incremental measures that are outlined in this budget will go a long way towards providing the structural supports that our economy needs to weather any potential storms. This is a budget designed to keep us economically safe, to provide real supports to ensure more homes are built and to put greater protections in place for the most vulnerable to ensure those who have the least benefit the most.

As a former SNA, I am heartened to see provision for an additional 1,717 new SNAs and more than 1,000 new teaching posts, with the majority of those, at 860, being in the area of special education. The further roll-out of OTs and therapists in special schools will take significant worry and stress from parents, as well as ensuring our children in special schools receive the regular therapies they require without missing excessive amounts of school time. The €16.5 million DEIS plus plan will make education more accessible to many children in disadvantaged areas and circumstances. The increase in student capitation fee, which I called for in the Chamber, is most welcome. I recognise it is a little shy of the €75 per child in primary schools that was asked for but, as I say, this is year one of a five-year plan. The pupil-teacher ratio is also in need of attention, but it is year one of five.

Carlow-Kilkenny is a great farming constituency with a strong tradition of tillage farming, and the budget of €50 million is desperately needed. Of course, we would have liked more. I look forward to seeing the outcome of the Minister, Deputy Heydon’s consultation with farm organisations to see how it is invested most efficiently and effectively for the sector. I thank the Minister for his work in preparing the TB eradication plans which enabled him to secure the €85 million for TB measures. The rollover of the various tax reliefs for farmers for four years is also very welcome and positive.

The budget has provided for the largest defence budget spending in the history of the State, at €1.49 billion. That is an extra €60 million, which is welcome and means we are on track to meet the level of ambition 2 by 2028, as recommended by the Commission on Defence Forces. The major challenge, however, will be the additional 4,000 personnel who are required to reach the 11,500 for level of ambition 2. I look forward to working with an Tánaiste and this Government to ensure we continue to invest in recruitment and retention initiatives in terms of specialist pay and a better arrangement for post-2013 personnel, and I will continue to push for addressing the gap in cadets' pay to ensure Óglaigh na hÉireann is supported to fill out right to the edges of its potential and get the full opportunity to do what it does best – protect and defend our State.

One cannot speak about defence without speaking also about national security. I am hopeful that part of the biggest-ever defence budget will go towards resourcing the JCDC to ensure our Defence Forces possess operational cyber capabilities in our modern world, a world where cyberattacks are increasing in frequency, complexity and destructiveness and can compromise critical infrastructure without any hindrance across geographical borders. That is the threat we face as a nation and that is the reason we need robust cybersecurity and resilience. Therefore the increase in budget of over 50%, to €12 million, for the National Cyber Security Centre is definitely welcome and needed and the further investment of €3 million to establish a new statutory national security authority to ensure the State has a comprehensive security clearance regime in line with EU and international obligations is reassuring to see.

As we all know, housing is the number one challenge facing people in Ireland today and a central means of addressing that challenge is through tackling vacancy and dereliction. Therefore I was delighted to see that the living city initiative will provide supports for the enhancement of older housing and commercial properties in Kilkenny, with the increased scope of the initiative to include residential properties built before 1975. With these measures, the Government has shown that it is serious about ending dereliction in our cities.

I also welcome the largest ever increase in the carer’s allowance income disregard from July 2026 and the Government taking another stride towards the removal of the means test in the lifetime of this Government, as was a commitment in the programme for Government, as well as the €20 increase in domiciliary care allowance per week.

In relation to the future, I welcome the introduction of My Future Fund, which will help almost 750,000 people save for their retirement. I also look forward to working with my fellow Oireachtas colleagues towards achieving all of the commitments made in the programme for Government over the lifetime of this Government.

See this speech in context