The health budget for next year alone – before the HSE’s inevitable cost over-runs, mind you – is at a record level of over €27billion.
The November 2025 Fiscal Assessment Report.
IFAC and the Climate Change Advisory Council, both of which were set up to advise Government, say Ireland could face fines of up to €28bn if 2030 EU climate targets are missed. Climate Minister Darragh O’Brien says it’s conjecture: “This is back of the envelope stuff”.
Asked if he would take responsibility for future cuts if the economy suffers after the Government ignored IFAC’s advice, Tánaiste Simon Harris said: “How the economy does is absolutely the responsibility of the Government.”
The experts nobody wants to listen to.
Finance Minister responds to criticism from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council that the Government was set to spend an ‘inappropriate’ amount of money at the upcoming Budget.
Budget.
Increased demand on healthcare, pensions
Tánaiste Micheál Martin tells Ben Scallan he “takes issue” with IFAC’s suggestion that the Budget isn’t serious.
“Measures introduced in Budget 2024 lacked transparency.”
Once you become a pensioner, it is, in effect, no longer your problem