Budget 2026: Government misses the mark for women in its first Budget
Published: Tuesday, October 07, 2025
NWC welcomes investment in childcare, but warns that structural reform is missing
Press Release, 7 October 2025
In response to Budget 2026 announced today (7 October), the National Women’s Council (NWC) welcomed investment in childcare and some targeted measures to tackle women’s inequality but warned that overall Budget measures lacked ambition and will not address structural inequalities that women experience.
In a context of uncertainty in the global economy and growing climate instability, it is crucial that the Irish Government proactively protects women and families by investing in sustainable public services, such as public childcare, income protections, housing and health.
NWC will be issuing a detailed analysis of Budget 2026 measures and its impact on women over the coming days.
Childcare and Public Services/Health
Doireann Crosson, Head of Policy for the National Women’s Council said,
“We welcome the investment in childcare and the focus on bringing in more capacity in Budget 2026. However, the funding for 2,300 additional places is well below what would be needed to significantly reduce the number of approximately 50,000 children currently on waiting lists.
We are disappointed that the additional places will be delivered through existing schemes which continues to rely on private and often for-profit providers. This approach will not address the systemic issues in our childcare system. Budget 2026 is a failed opportunity to start the urgently needed roll out of publicly delivered childcare and kickstart Ireland’s move towards the public system of early childhood education and care that we need.”
She continued,
“In relation to health, we welcome the increased investment but are disappointed that there are no targeted measures for women that we had called for including the extension of the free contraception scheme and HRT scheme. Increased staffing and resourcing for mental health is also welcome, but progress is awaited on a key Programme for Government target of establishing of a Mother and Baby Unit. This remains a missing critical piece of mental health infrastructure for women with severe or complex mental health difficulties following birth.”
Social Protection
Donal Swan, Women’s Economic Equality Coordinator said,
“NWC welcomes several targeted measures to tackle poverty in Budget 2026 which will benefit women. These include the increase in the Child Support Payment and the income disregard for the Carer’s Allowance.
However, these investments remain piecemeal in a context of the ongoing cost of living crisis and a lack of structural reform. What is needed is a new system that recognises social protection as a crucial public service where all payments are benchmarked in order to ensure an adequate and secure income for all.”
Climate Justice
Donal Swan continued,
“NWC welcomes the increase in Fuel Allowance and the extension of eligibility to people in receipt of the Working Family Payment, who are mostly women. This measure will help to tackle energy poverty which disproportionally affects women, particularly lone parents living in private rental accommodation. “
NWC is concerned at the lack of overall ambition in relation to climate measures. Investment in existing schemes is welcome, but is not at nearly the scale required to meet our climate ambitions. And they must be complemented by targeted measures for the people most in need, such as a retrofitting scheme for people living in private rental accommodation who currently have no access to retrofitting, and measures for the Traveller Community who are most impacted by energy poverty.”
NWC will be publishing a detailed analysis of Budget 2026 measures, including investment in tackling violence against women, and its impact on women in the coming days.