Budget 2027 LIVE: New €500 lump sum, €312 child cash & €160 fuel help amid ‘insult to workers’ €750 tax blast

FINANCE Minister Simon Harris warned “you don’t build resilience by being reckless” as the Government announced income tax cuts of €1.3billion, social welfare increases and a 79c minimum wage increase in Budget 2027.

But Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty fumed that today’s budget was “an insult to workers”, claiming the “majority” of Irish people “won’t get a sniff at” the €750 tax break.

Unlike previous budgets, there has been no confirmation of energy credits or the highly-anticipated two-tier Child Benefit payment and the highly debated €100 Culture Card’ for teens has not been mentioned.

Thousands on Fuel Allowance are expected to get an extra €160 to heat their home, income tax measures are worth €750 for some workers and the Rent Tax Credit has been increased by €150.

The overall Social Protection package is smaller than last year but core social welfare rates have been increased by €10, or €520 yearly, the Living Alone Allowance is rising by €3 and the Child Support Payment is up by €6 – or €312 yearly.

A new Cost of Disability lump sum payment worth €500 was also confirmed.

Speaking in the Dail this afternoon, Tanaiste Harris warned that “you don’t build resilience by being reckless,” adding that the State “cannot do it all”, but must balance the here and now with the future.

Doherty, meanwhile, blasted: “Your Government is hell-bent on making life harder with the choices that you make.

“The majority of Irish workers, over a million and a half of them, who you’ve left abandoned in this Budget will get less than €250 in a tax break.”

Here’s the latest from Leinster House.