The Finance Minister has insisted his resistance to tax breaks for developers is ‘unchanged’ after his party leader said he was ‘open’ to the move.

The Tánaiste was speaking as Fine Gael held its annual think-in at a hotel in Co Westmeath.

The Budget Day package will be worth €9.4 billion and will not be accompanied by a cost of living package of measures.

The changes will take effect from October, and could add between €60 and €185 to the average family's total bill

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore accused the Government of ‘throwing public money around like snuff at a wake’.

The Sinn Féin leader said the Government will be throwing struggling families ‘under the bus’ in October’s budget.

The Dáil will rise ahead of the summer recess on Thursday and will not be due to return until September 17th.

Food inflation rose by 4.6% since June of last year, more than double that of the general Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Simon Harris insisted the Government was delivering for people in the ‘here and now’.

Sinn Féin accused the Government of having ‘failed to exert any real pressure’ on retailers over high prices.

The survey commissioned by the national tourism development authority found that 51 per cent of businesses have recorded a fall in income so far in 2025 with 23 per cent saying revenue is largely unchanged.

Alcohol and tobacco prices in Ireland are the most expensive in the EU at 205% of the average

The study also revealed that Irish people have the second highest level of concern about the future because of the affordability of housing.

Producer prices for food products increased by 5.1 per cent in the 12 months to April 2025

Micheál Martin said there was no government across the EU which had provided as much in cost of living supports as Ireland.

The Royal Meath in Navan has reduced pints by 50c for three days a week on selected draught beers

Some parts of the economy are still experiencing substantial price jumps.

Micheál Martin ruled out continuing cost-of-living support payments.

The cost of filling your car with petrol or diesel is creeping up again

Almost half of all teachers, or 42 per cent, believed the cost of living crisis has had a major impact on students’ access to breakfast at home

The Fine Gael leader said the cost of living was the number one issue being raised with him so far during the campaign.

In a pre-election interview, the Taoiseach also discussed the housing and cost-of-living crises.

Ged Nash accused the government of being ‘nodding dogs’ for big companies and criticised one-off budgetary measures.

The findings show 82 per cent of respondents believe the housing crisis in Ireland disproportionately impacts young people, placing significant strain on their ability to become independent.

Holly Cairns said ministers have tried to ‘splash cash around indiscriminately’.

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan said the payments were a ‘blatant attempt to buy’ an election.

The Economic and Social Research Institute calculated that over the last five budgets households are worse off by about 0.7 per cent of disposable income.

Tipperary farmer Garrett O’Brien says the cost-of-living package was ‘a help but it’s not going to make a whole lot of difference’.

The biggest budget in the history of the State has been unveiled, the last before an upcoming General Election.

Two double payments of child benefit, possibly before the end of the year, are on the cards for Budget 2025.

The budget will take place on Tuesday.

Prices rises have slowed to their lowest level since March 2021

Last week, reports emerged that a cost-of-living package worth about €1.5 billion is under consideration as part of Budget 2025 negotiations.

The largest cost increases in the past year were for education, housing and car insurance, figures show.

The increase in taxi fares will take effect on December 1st

Stormont ministers have written to the PM expressing concerns over means testing the payments.

Simon Harris said people are ‘still financially hurting’.

Heather Humphreys and Roderic O’Gorman both said more can be done, but politicians are limited by budgetary constraints.

Dublin has been ranked in 41st place in the annual list from Mercer, ahead of Milan, Rome and Madrid.

The biggest prices increases in the year to May were in the transport and hotel & restaurant sectors

The Fiscal Advisory Council said current policy was ‘not appropriate’ for prudent economic and budgetary management.

A reversal of a reduced rate of excise duty on petrol and diesel is planned for August.

Prices are estimated to have risen by 2.9 per cent in the 12 months to March this year