It's Time for Radical Change
We are living in extraordinary times, where the fifth consecutive annual budget surplus is about to be recorded, where 11 billionaires are wealthier than 3,500,000 Irish people combined, where poverty and homelessness is widespread, and where huge numbers of working-class people struggle with the cost-of-living increases.
Over the past five years, prices of goods and services have increased by 22%. For many households this has not been matched by equivalent or greater increase in wages. As the costs of living increase, many more families must choose between eating or heating. Over the past six months more than four in ten parents said that they skipped meals or reduced their portion size so that their children had enough to eat. The Government now wants to add to the pressures on families and increase fares for public transport by an average of 15%, but 30% in some cases.
The housing crisis deepens with many finding it impossible to gain access to affordable housing. While homelessness grows we have the scandal of widespread dereliction.
Public services are not fit for purpose and working people struggle to gain access to health care.
Education is costly when it should be free and childcare costs amount to another mortgage for many households. Those with additional needs are locked out of basic services, waiting for essential assessments and therapies and even school places. 40% of disabled people live on or below the poverty line.
We are also faced with existential climate, biodiversity and environmental crises that are destroying the conditions necessary for our survival. The government refuses to take the anticapitalist measures to reduce emissions and reduce energy and transport costs for households.
Budget 2026 Was a Disaster
The Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael government, backed by the Lowry independents, has done very little to help the people deal with increases in the costs of living despite the availability of billions in a budget surplus.
Indeed Budget 2026 made the situation much worse for many households.
The removal of cost of living supports lead to income losses across all income groups with the biggest cuts for the poorest 10%.
Poverty rates increased and it was estimated that disabled people lost out by €1400. Student fees were increased by €500.
At the same time, large tax cuts were delivered for developers and fast food chains. The freeze on income tax bands and credits raised average tax rates for workers from 22.5% in 2025 to 23.1% in 2026.
Recently it was found that the supermajority of people in the Ireland (95%) would have been better off under our Alternative Budget than the Government's or parties like Sinn Féin, Labour or Social Democrats.
People Before Profit's radical 2027 budget points the way to an affordable Ireland for all.
Download our Summary Budget 2027:
Download the full People Before Profit Budget 202 below:
