Fiscal Policy

Thursday, 18 December 2025

Questions (222, 229)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

222. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the engagement he has had with the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council since he took office. [71608/25]

View answer

229. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to recent remarks by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71609/25]

View answer

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance

I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 229 together.

I can confirm that I met the chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, Seamus Coffey, within my first week of appointment as Minister of Finance last month, to discuss some of the key economic and fiscal issues facing Government.

The Council plays a key role in our budgetary process. Engagement has been ongoing with the Council throughout my time as Minister of Finance, most recently when I appointed Professor Karina Doorley as the latest member to join the board of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.

The Fiscal Assessment Report was published on 26th of November by the Council in relation to Budget 2026. This publication is in fulfilment of the Council's legal mandate to assess the Government's budgetary forecasts.

Budget 2026 was framed to protect jobs, maintain our competitiveness and address the infrastructure deficit in an environment of unprecedented uncertainty in the global economy.

My formal response to the Fiscal Assessment Report will address several of the key issues raised by the Council. This response will be published on my Department’s website in due course.