Ireland announces Budget 2027 with record infrastructure investment

Ireland has unveiled its Budget 2027, a package featuring €125.6 billion in gross public expenditure. The budget includes €7 billion in public spending and €1.65 billion in tax measures, highlighted by a record €20.3 billion allocated for capital investment.

To support economic growth, the government has introduced several initiatives for startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These include a €3 million allocation for Start Up Ireland, a €1 billion Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme, and a €1 billion investment programme for scaling companies through 2030. Additional funding includes €100 million for venture capital and €37.5 million for the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund.

The budget also introduces a spending efficiency taskforce aimed at eliminating waste. However, some observers have raised concerns regarding the potential tension between the mandate to increase infrastructure delivery and the directive to reduce public sector spending efficiency.