Budget 2026: Insights from CBRE Ireland

Budget 2026 outlined a €9.4 billion public spending package, underpinned by a distinctly pro-business approach. Among the measures announced were several real estate-focused initiatives, with housing once again taking centre stage.

Notably, the Budget introduced key supports for residential development, welcomed by CBRE, which we believe could significantly contribute to unlocking greater housing delivery in the years ahead.

However, in a surprising turn of events, reports in the days following the Budget suggest that one of the cornerstone policy measures introduced this year, critical to large-scale housing delivery, has been legally challenged via judicial review by a group of county councillors and independents.

While we await further clarity on how this legal challenge unfolds, it is unfortunate that what appeared to be a series of highly positive steps forward for housing delivery has now been somewhat overshadowed.