This year’s budget, in as much as it can, be it all about restraint when it comes to spending.
This is in contrast to its predecessors which where stuffed with once-off cost-of-living measures which last year cost the exchequer €2 billion. And on top of that it was also an election budget, with all the added pressure to spend that brings.
On Tuesday we will know how successfully the restraint line was held.
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe – followed by Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Jack Chambers – will be setting out the detail of what is the pre-election budget.
RM Block
If you have some catching up to do, visit our Budget 2026 site where you will find all you need to know about what’s been happening.
Here is how our Budget 2026 coverage will unfold:
Tuesday morning
Join The Irish Times budget team and our in-house experts for the budget live blog, which will bring you the build-up to the Ministers’ speeches, keep you in touch with the latest breaking news, the details of new measures, initial reaction, and the best of social media comment.
During the live blog, our politics team will also provide instant analysis of the budget measures as they are announced. We’ll also keep you up to date across all our social media platforms.
Lunchtime
Paschal Donohoe takes to his feet in the Dáil for his speech, to be followed by Jack Chambers. As well as the live blog, we will bring you a rolling summary of the main points and highlights as they emerge. We will also be live streaming the speeches on our Budget 2026 site.
After the speeches
Our budget calculator, in association with PwC, will let you work out what it means for your pocket. Plus, we will have quick analysis from our political, business and news teams, including columnists Cliff Taylor and Miriam Lord and all the details of what the changes will mean for you.
If you wish to receive our business newsletter, sign up here.
Video
We will be providing video analysis and reaction from Leinster House plus the budget speeches will be live streamed on our website. Pricewatch’s Conor Pope will also be giving his take on the budget
Podcasts
Business editor Ciarán Hancock will host a special edition of the Inside Business podcast, which will be available for download in the late afternoon.
Our politics team will discuss how Mr Chambers and Mr Donohoe performed, in a special Inside Politics podcast that will be available on Wednesday morning.
Ask the Experts Q&A
. Dominic Coyle from The Irish Times with Beryl Power, tax director and Jacinta Lynch, tax senior manager, from PwC will answer your budget questions live from 7am on Wednesday. You can submit your questions here.
Notifications
Sign up for push notifications on the budget by downloading our free app from the Play Store or from iTunes.
Special Budget 2026 supplement
Published on Wednesday morning, The Irish Times’s eight-page Budget 2026 supplement will spell out exactly what the budget means for you with the latest news, top-class analysis and comment plus reaction from individuals and businesses around the country.
