Govt calm as Budget aims to answer big political tests

Budget 2027 faced three big political tests.

It had to leave households feeling that help was provided to deal with rising energy prices.

Workers' pay along with childcare and welfare support had to increase to assist people who are watching their grocery bills soar too.

Those who face higher costs as a result of disability also needed greater funding.

Did the budget pass the test?

Coalition TDs are quietly confident it has.

The big money budget of last year was never properly in tune with the public mood while this new iteration is more in sync with people’s concerns, they believe.

There are some in the upper echelons of Government who privately admit that mistakes were made in 2025.

On that note Simon Harris’ pledge towards the end of his speech that he would work in partnership with people was an admission of sorts.

But of course, that was made easier by the fact that this was his maiden budget following Paschal Donohoe’s departure.

His language too, at certain points, was more pared down and less technical than that of his predecessor.

He spoke of those who earn good money on paper but are just getting by.

For all that, it was the Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers’ reference to Mayo’s All-Ireland win which drew the biggest reaction over the course of the lengthy budget speeches.

The minister also stated that prosperity was not in itself the guiding purpose for a government.

It was instead about deploying political judgement in how best to utilise such prosperity for the public good.

Of course, when speaking in such noble terms, there were references to Fianna Fáil’s demigod, the late Seán Lemass.

Despite the lofty rhetoric, the minister has a very active real life political problem on his hands, the threat of mounting industrial action by public servants.

The figures set aside today for a new public pay deal, do not look to have paved the way for a resolution.

After watching it all in the Dáil, one junior minister offered the following pithy assessment, "I don’t think the Government will be falling tonight anyway."

Others were even more upbeat.

For these deputies, the core objective of the day was to achieve political peace.

That seems to have been delivered given the prevailing sense of calm in constituency offices around the country tonight.

Indeed, as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs walked from the Dáil chamber, they were weighed down with budget documents but had a spring their step.

Gone was the unease of last spring when coalition TDs felt they were part of an administration that was out of tune with an electorate worried about rising energy prices.

Since then, more than €100 million a month has been spent every month to lower the cost of petrol and diesel.

Those cuts remain fully in place until the end of February, and there are new carbon tax cuts to home heating oil and natural gas which will be kept intact for the lifetime of the coalition.

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All this coupled with income tax changes leave many on the Government side guardedly optimistic that "things will be ok."

As ever though there are wildly conflicting views between the Opposition and Government.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy predicted that more people will be in arrears, unable to heat their homes, and struggle to feed their children because of this Budget.

The Social Democrats said that pleas for an energy credit have inexplicably fallen on deaf ears at a time when everything is costing more.

While Labour's Ged Nash believes this is a budget for those who already have a few bob in the bank.

Should any of those political charges chime with public opinion, then the sense of calm along the corridors of Government Buildings could be fleeting.