Thriving Communities in a Changing Ireland: Budget 2026
The Irish State has long relied on the agility of the community and voluntary sector to respond to crises and address gaps in public services, particularly in areas such as housing, health, and social care.
It is time to recognise the significance of Ireland's charities, community groups, and social enterprises as providers of crucial public services and opportunities that enrich our lives. Budget 2026 presents an opportunity to support community and voluntary organisations, enabling our communities to thrive and confront future crises.
What our members say
“Sustainable funding for organisations like ourselves is essential to ensure that we can continue to meet the high quality standards of the services that we provide to children and families most in need. The increasing governance and compliance which places additional administration burdens on front line staff takes them away from engaging directly with those that need our services and fulfilling our core purpose as a charity and not-forprofit organisation. Multiannual contracts and funding is essential to enable us to plan to address evolving and future needs. I welcome the commitment of the DCEDIY and Tusla and their engagement with our sector on sustainable funding so that community and voluntary organisations can continue to provide essential services now and into the future.”
- Dr Tracey Monson, CEO, Daughter of Charities
“I don’t think there is a full recognition of the value and necessity of the community and voluntary sector. Public fundraising often has to plug the gaps of service provision because State funding doesn’t cover full-cost recovery. Governance is hugely important, but the costs of compliance need to be covered by State funding. People working in the sector very often go above and beyond what is expected, and we just want that to be fairly recognised, valued, and funded securely.”
- Ber Grogan, Executive Director, The Simon Communities of Ireland
“If you came to our office for a day, you’d be shocked by the amount of people that come through our door. It’s so busy. People come to us for support, for information, for advice and it’s all free of charge. The money we raise in December will go to fund our information centre as well as our programmes.”
- Caroline França, Communications Lead, Doras
“After all the reforms in recent years to create a more stable insurance
landscape, it is galling that the savings generated are being used to increase insurer profits, whilst premiums remain stubbornly high for community and voluntary organisations right across the
country.”
- Brian Hanley, CEO, Alliance for Insurance Reform
“The last Budget wasn’t just numbers on a page; it’s a measure of our
commitment to equality. Without adequate investment, disabled people continue to face barriers to full participation in society. The Programme for Government, agreed earlier this year, includes ambitious measures on access and inclusion. Budget 2026 is the first real test of the new Government’s intent to turn those commitments into action.”
- Elaine Teague, CEO, Disability Federation of Ireland
Add your voice to this campaign? Email guillaume@wheel.ie and tell us how the recommendations in our pre-budget submission would support your organisation's work.
We're calling for Budget 2026 to empower charities, community organisations, and social enterprises. Now is the time to act on urgent issues facing the sector, and to create the conditions for a just and fair society to flourish.
