Budget 2027: Some wins for women but substantial reform lacking, says NWC

Published: Tuesday, October 06, 2026

The National Women’s Council (NWC) today (6th October) welcomed a number of improvements for women in Budget 2027, including on childcare and contraception, but says long-term systemic reform is needed to solve the childcare crisis and address systemic inequalities of women. NWC is disappointed at tax reforms, which will benefit men and other middle and high earners much more than women and other low earners.

Childcare

Executive Director of NWC, Corrinne Hasson said:
“We welcome the focus on childcare in Budget 2027. In particular, we welcome the reduction of childcare fees to a maximum of €550 for full-time care for families who have secured a place in a core funded facility. In addition, we welcome the previously announced State led pilot schemes in 7 locations across the country.
While these announcements will be positive for some families, they will not address the structural issues within our childcare system. Many families will still be left without a place, and it will be women who will continue to bear the consequences by leaving the workforce, curtailing their work, training and education or leisure hours. It also does not do enough to address the significant staffing crisis in the sector and is still a long way from the Government target of €200 per child per month. We know from other European countries that the most effective and sustainable way to provide early years care and education is through a public system where the State directly pays educators wages and delivers a place for every child, akin to our primary school system. NWC wanted to see a much clearer commitment towards moving to the public system in Budget 2027.”

Free Contraception Scheme

NWC is pleased that the Free Contraception Scheme has been expanded to include women up to 37, but reiterated its call for age limits on this scheme to be removed altogether.

NWC’s Deputy Head of Policy Doireann Crosson said:

“It is very well-established that many women are fertile well into their 40s and there is no reason why they should not be entitled to avail of this groundbreaking scheme. Women also use hormonal contraception for health reasons beyond preventing pregnancy, such as managing perimenopausal symptoms, this is especially true for women over 37. While it’s welcome to see women up to 37 now included in the scheme, we would like to see the removal of all age limits to it. We also need to ensure that free contraception is available to all women irrespective of immigration status and access to a PPS number.”

Cost of Disability Payment

NWC acknowledged the introduction of a Cost of Disability Payment but cautioned that €500 is still far from bridging the actual financial inequalities experienced by disabled women.

Corrinne Hasson said, “This payment is urgently needed to cover additional costs associated with disability, such as transport, equipment and medicines. However, the Government will need to ensure that the rate of payment meets the actual cost of disability with a clear commitment to future annual increases. We look forward to seeing a co-creation process with disabled women and Disabled Persons' Organisations (DPOs) on the structure and size of these supports as they pertain to their individual needs and lives.”

Tax and Social Protection

Speaking about the changing of the tax bands and USC, NWC’s economic equality spokesperson, Alex Richardson, said: “These changes will predominantly benefit middle to high earners, the majority of whom are men. Six in ten low-paid workers are women, with almost half of women earning below €20,000. They won’t see a cent of these reforms. Ultimately, widening the tax and USC bands limits the public revenue available to reinvest in the services that make the biggest difference to women's lives, making health, transport and childcare more affordable for everyone."

She continued,

“NWC welcomes the increased threshold of the Working Family Payment, as most recipients are women and the increase to the Child Support Payment. It is also positive to see an increase in the Living Alone Allowance and the €5 increase to the Fuel Allowance, which will go some way in shielding more people from energy poverty this winter.  

NWC would have liked to see a Universal State Pension to end the Gender Pension Gap which currently stands at 35% and only stands to be deepened by auto-enrolment.”

Mother and Baby Inpatient Mental Health Unit

NWC expressed disappointment about the lack of update in today’s Budget 2027 announcements on the Mother and Baby Inpatient Mental Health Unit for those with complex and severe mental health needs. Nearly 10 years after it was first approved, and with suicide the leading cause of maternal death, the women of Ireland need answers on this.

Housing, Homelessness and Gender Based Violence

Ireland has one of the highest rates of female homelessness in the EU, with women making up between 40-42% of the adult homelessness population. 56% of homeless families in Ireland are lone parent families, with most of these families headed by women. Any rollout of the additional housing development funding announced today will need to be gender-proofed and respond to the diverse needs of women.

Alex Richardson expanded "We must recognise that the housing emergency and record levels of violence against women as intersecting and reinforcing crises. While we welcome increased investment in housing, funding must prioritise state-led, affordable, and cost-rental homes. Secure, long-term housing solutions are essential for the most marginalised women impacted by these crises.”

NWC is seeking further clarification on the breakdown of funding allocated for Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, including for Cuan.

Climate Justice and Public Transport  

Corrinne Hasson said,

“In addition to some targeted measures that will support people with energy costs this winter, it’s great to see more energy grants, particularly grants that HAP and RAS tenants can access. However, households will remain exposed to volatility in energy prices as long as Ireland relies predominantly on fossil fuels as an energy source. NWC is calling on the Government to prioritise the country’s transition to greener, renewable energy sources to protect households from energy poverty in the long-term, including strengthening grid infrastructure and enacting a moratorium on data centres until their outsized impact on the grid and energy bills is reduced.

NWC is disappointed that the Government has not committed €70 million to the Transport Authority of Ireland to maintain existing service provision and prevent public transport fare increases being introduced in 2027. Increased costs of public transport will hit groups dependant on public transport, and that are already struggling, harder, particularly lone parent headed households and students.”

In the coming days, NWC will publish a detailed Feminist Analysis of Budget 2027.

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