IFAC warns Budget 2027 likely to be larger than announced
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has warned that government spending is consistently exceeding budget plans, potentially impacting future resources. Finance Minister Simon Harris acknowledged the council's concerns but defended the necessity of certain infrastructure investments.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the tension between fiscal discipline and the need for public investment in a growing economy.
Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Correspondent
The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance has said the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council is "right" to highlight Government budget overspend, but added that "not all spending is the same".
The fiscal watchdog warned that the actual budget package is likely to be much larger than what is announced in Budget 2027 on 6 October.
Simon Harris also said "we don't ignore their advice, but they're not the Government".
He said Ireland lags "somewhere around 25%-30% behind the EU average when it comes to public infrastructure, and our people know that, people who invest in our country know that. So, not all spending is the same".
However, the Tánaiste said the fiscal council is "right to highlight the fact that any in-year drift in spending does have real consequences in terms of the availability of resources to do new or other things".
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