CEO Update: Budget Priorities and Are You AI Ready?

Dear member,

This week an Ibec delegation, including Ibec President Anne O’Leary, Deputy President Colin Hunt, and board member Maureen Walsh, held a pre-Budget meeting with Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance, and Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services Reform and Digitalisation, to discuss Ibec’s 2026 Budget priorities.

Our overarching message to Government is that this Budget must be framed in the context of ongoing trade tensions and recent US tax reforms. Budget 2026 should strengthen Ireland’s agility in an increasingly challenging global climate, while continuing to support productivity, safeguard public capital projects, and build fiscal resilience. To stay resilient, policy must restore balance between income and spending, excluding excess corporate tax receipts above levels seen in comparable economies. Ireland must also address rising business costs, as competitors such as Germany move to cut industrial energy prices and enhance competitiveness.

We know that persistent tariffs pose a serious threat to many Irish businesses. While the broader economy may remain resilient, some sectors will suffer significant and lasting damage to competitiveness. We reiterated our message of recent weeks that these businesses and their employees must receive targeted support. The intent of Tánaiste Simon Harris and Minister Peter Burke’s Action Plan on market diversification to strengthen Ireland’s global trade resilience launched this week is welcome in this regard. I provided some reaction to the plan on Newstalk’s Hard Shoulder programme that can be listened to here

Despite obvious challenges, major opportunities lie ahead in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, a more investment-focused EU, and shifting global supply chains. To seize them, Ireland needs timely progress on infrastructure, innovation, skills, and fiscal stability. This is a message we will continue to carry through our regional programme of engagements between members and local TDs in the coming weeks, beginning with the West and North West next week.

To support our members in adopting AI opportunities, we will officially launch Work Just Got Smarter, our new campaign on artificial intelligence on Monday. The campaign reaffirms Ibec’s longstanding commitment to AI as a trusted leader and proactive advocate in policy, regulation, adoption, and the future workplace. It will raise awareness and provide high-level guidance on opportunities with AI, compliance and governance, and practical steps for adoption. More details on the campaign will be available on Ibec’s website on Monday.

Regards,

Danny McCoy

CEO

Ibec