Chambers Ireland responds to the Summer Economic Statement and calls for Government to back business in Budget 2027

Chambers Ireland, the nationwide voice of business, has today (22 July 2026) responded to the publication of the Summer Economic Statement by urging Government to prioritise a budget that reduces the cost pressures facing businesses and unlocks faster delivery of the infrastructure needed to underpin competitiveness.

Speaking after the announcement that Ireland’s 2027 budget package will include €8.5 billion in additional spending and a tax package, Ian Talbot, Chief Executive, stated:

“Fiscal prudence and strategic investment must go hand in hand. The challenge now is to ensure that the Summer Economic Statement translates into a Budget that strengthens Ireland’s long-term economic capacity and resilience.

Businesses are facing sustained increases in energy, labour, regulatory and operating costs. At the same time, infrastructure delivery is not keeping pace with the needs of a growing economy. Budget 2027 must therefore focus on measures that reduce cost pressures, accelerate delivery, and support investment, employment and regional growth.”

Chambers Ireland, which represents 36 member Chambers and a network of over 10,000 businesses nationwide, warns that rising energy, labour, regulatory and operating costs are a threat to Irish businesses. Simultaneously, the pace at which the State delivers infrastructure of strategic national importance is too slow. Taken in combination, rising costs and infrastructure deficits are creating a competitiveness challenge that must be unlocked. Ian Talbot continues:

“Competitiveness isn’t an abstract economic concept; it is what determines whether businesses choose to invest, expand and create jobs. As departmental negotiations ramp up between now and Budget Day, we need to ensure that the focus is on spending and taxation measures that will have the greatest long-term impact on our economy.”

The organisation welcomed the Government’s €1.5 billion tax package as a key component of today’s Summer Economic Statement, while emphasising that the success of the package will ultimately depend on whether it delivers meaningful support for businesses facing rising costs and growing uncertainty.

The business group’s Pre-Budget Submission calls for Government to focus on five national priorities:

  1. Reduce the cost of doing business by tackling energy, labour, regulatory and operating costs, and deliver meaningful reform through the Cost of Business Advisory Forum Report.
  2. Turn committed infrastructure investments into visible results through binding delivery targets, multi-annual funding, clearer accountability for major public projects and continued support for the Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce.
  3. Scale housing and infrastructure delivery to remove constraints on competitiveness and regional growth.
  4. Focus on energy security and move climate and energy policy from ambition to delivery by accelerating the roll out of renewable generation, grid and storage infrastructure.
  5. Respond faster to economic and technological change, including better use of the National Training Fund and targeted support for SME innovation and AI adoption.

ENDS

Find a link to Chambers Ireland’s Pre-Budget Submission 2027 here.

Back to Top