CO MONAGHAN ALREADY FEELING THE PAIN AND THE GAIN OF BUDGET 2026

Some of the impacts of Budget 2026 introduced by Ministers Paschal Donohoe and Jack Chambers in the Dáil on Tuesday are already being experienced in Co Monaghan and across the country. 2.5c has gone on the cost of a litre of petrol and diesel following carbon tax measures and users of tobacco products have to content with a 50c excise duty increase. But measures voted through in the Dáil on Tuesday evening also bring immediate benefits, such as the reduction of the VAT rate on the sale of completed apartments to 9% from 13.5%.

The Budget divided political reaction along predictable party lines, with Sinn Féin TD Matt Cathy condemning the thrust of its provisions as neglectful towards workers and hardhearted towards the impacts of the rising cost of living but his fellow Cavan/Monaghan Deputy and Government Minister of State Niamh Smyth of Fianna Fáil accentuating a litany of positive measures and arguing that Budget 2026 would protect and grow the national economy (see full comments below). As debate and voting on the Budget’s provisions continued yesterday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin had to again defend the Government stance against introducing electricity credits…