Government holding talks to finalise Budget 2027

Talks to finalise the budget are taking place in Government Buildings today.

Agreement still has to be reached around how cuts to childcare costs will be implemented.

Government leaders will today become centrally involved in nailing down the last parts of the budget.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said it would deliver more affordable services and childcare.

The Government still has to decide if there will be a greater focus on reducing childcare costs for very young children or will it be an across the board cut.

Speaking at his party's centenary Cairde Fáil dinner in Dublin last night, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the primary aim of the budget was to ease the cost of living pressure on families and households.

Mr Martin stressed the importance of the permanent changes which will be introduced to help households in the Budget.

However, he did not completely rule out the possibility of a temporary energy credit saying only that the matter had not been discussed but he could not anticipate what proposals might come forward at the 11th hour.

And one figure familiar with the agenda for today's discussions expects the issue to at least be mentioned over the next number of hours.