Government should use its financial strength to deliver housing and infrastructure, business group warns

A business advocacy group is calling on the Government to use its strength to deliver housing, infrastructure, skills and energy.

Chambers Ireland is urging the Government to make these changes in their Pre-Budget Submission 2027, ahead of the group's appearance before the Oireachtas Budgetary Oversight Committee.

The group says that although Ireland is entering this budget with strong finances, the reality of business tells a different story. With the pressures of rising costs, infrastructure gaps, and slow delivery undermining growth.

Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland, said: “Budget 2027 must give businesses confidence that the State can match its ambition with action. Firms across the country are ready to invest, grow and create jobs, but they need a stronger operating environment. This means faster infrastructure delivery and clearer signals that competitiveness is being treated as a national priority.”

Businesses in Ireland are facing increasing pressure, with energy costs, high prices, uncertainty, and delays in delivering energy infrastructure compounding it.

Chambers Ireland’s submission highlights a need to deploy resources effectively, like the National Training Fund, where €1.8 billion remains unutilised.

Ian Talbot said: “This Budget must confront the cost pressures facing business, but it must also fix how we deliver. Ireland does not lack funding. We lack consistent, timely execution. Without that shift, ambition will continue to run ahead of capacity.

“Windfall revenues give us an opportunity, not a guarantee. They should be used to build long-term capacity, not to mask underlying issues or delay reform. This Budget must focus on the delivery of homes, infrastructure, skills and energy security. Ireland’s future demographics also point to the urgent need for the Government to set out the case for extensive broadening of the tax base at a time when it has the flexibility to relieve the burden on taxpayers by increasing tax bands and allowances.”