• Prioritise DART+ and LUAS schemes, MetroLink, BusConnects, the Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project and the Greater Dublin Drainage Project.  

• Enable the delivery of at least 30,000 homes pa in the Greater Dublin Area. 

• Amend and simplify the R&D tax credit to allow outsourcing and improve SME access. 

• Introduce a National Training Voucher Scheme to support employer-led upskilling and reskilling. 

• Streamline the tax system to reduce compliance costs, administrative burdens and regulatory complexity for small and medium-sized firms. 

Dublin Chamber’s Budget Submission, launched today, emphasises the need to deliver critical infrastructure to unlock 30,000 homes per year in the Greater Dublin Area and promote innovation by firms to boost productivity and stay ahead of global changes in technology, trade and investment flows. 

Speaking at the launch, Dublin Chamber Director of Public Affairs, Aebhric McGibney, said:  

“In a world of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, Government cannot compensate society for every eventuality, but it can best prepare Ireland to withstand whatever shocks come our way. This means controlling the controllables, such as removing the administrative bottlenecks to critical infrastructure delivery in energy, water and public transport, getting better value for money in their delivery and unlocking land for tens of thousands of new homes in Dublin. These upgrades to Dublin’s infrastructure will provide greater resilience to businesses seeking to invest and grow in the region.” 

"Controlling the controllables also means removing the unnecessary self-imposed bureaucracy facing business, encouraging more firms to invest in R&D and upskilling their employees and critically backing those who want to start, grow and scale their businesses. Ireland’s high rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is a chronic disincentive to entrepreneurship, and the tax schemes designed to provide a workaround for this are unwieldy. Dublin Chamber believes the rate of capital gains should be cut to 20% for actively trading unquoted firms.”    

Dublin Chamber is calling on Government to prioritise projects that are ready to progress, including MetroLink, DART+ South West and West, BusConnects, LUAS Finglas, the Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project, the Greater Dublin Drainage Project and EirGrid's Powering Up Dublin programme. 

With almost 162,000 people commuting into Dublin from outside the county for work each day, there is a pent-up demand for housing in the city. Dublin Chamber proposes that half of the Government’s national target of 60,000 homes per annum should be built in the Greater Dublin Area. Continued delays to critical infrastructure projects are placing increasing pressure on housing delivery, labour mobility and economic growth. 

The Chamber is also calling for further reforms to the R&D Tax Credit to support innovation and productivity growth. 

McGibney continued: 

"Innovation will be critical to Ireland's future competitiveness. Many businesses now rely on universities, higher education institutions and specialist providers to undertake research and development, yet current limits on outsourced R&D can discourage collaboration. Removing or significantly increasing these limits would help businesses innovate, grow and compete internationally, while simplifying access to the scheme would make it more effective for SMEs." 

ENDS 

Contact Information

Mia Finnegan
Public Affairs Manager
0833852528
mia@dublinchamber.ie

About Dublin Chamber: Dublin Chamber is Ireland’s largest chamber of commerce with over 1000 member companies. It is the most representative and broadly-based business group in the Greater Dublin Area, providing representation and networking services. Its policy work focuses on developing the Dublin region’s infrastructure & transport, promoting competitiveness, and improving local governance. Dublin Chamber is also one of the oldest chambers of commerce in the world, tracing its origins back to 1782.