PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE CATHERINE Connolly has criticised the Budget and said that the government has “utterly failed to learn from the Covid pandemic and the declaration of a climate emergency”.

She was speaking in the Dáil this evening in reaction to the Budget 2026 announcement in her role as an Independent TD.

While she said the government has acknowledged “that the planet is burning”, she said there is no “recognition” of this in the Budget.

“I don’t expect any Budget to sort out those crises,” said Connolly, “but I do expect a Budget to be put in context of the existential threat posed by climate change.”

She added that “we’re failing to recognise that we can’t continue with the same, unsustainable growth approach and do something about climate change”.

She also said there were no provisions in relation to public health infrastructure so that “we would be prepared for the next pandemic”.

Connolly also said she was “worried” by a lack of a mention to homelessness.

She also accused the government of “twisting language” around housing.

“If you are in receipt of a HAP payment, you are not adequately housed in terms of social housing, and you’re twisting language on its head,” said Connolly.

Connolly also said there was an “utter failure to recognise that there’s an absolute crisis of a housing problem in the Gaeltacht”.

She also said that the government had “reneged on its solemn promise to do away with the means test for carers”.

“I don’t know why we can go with economists telling us we have a growth economy when we’re not valuing the number of carers that are doing unpaid leave,” added Connolly.

She said the number of people providing regular unpaid care increased by over 50% between 2016 and 2022 to reach close to 300,000.

Last week, Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary said that while the Government “remains committed to phasing out the carer’s allowance means test”, it cannot be done ”in a single budget” and that it will be done in a “progressive manner”. 

Connolly also remarked that the government has “failed to train enough people to work in our hospitals” and that these are problems that “come up year after year”.

“We need to actually put out the message that they’re not inevitable,” said Connolly.

Meanwhile, Connolly remarked that the €11 million increase for schemes targeting violence against women is a “drop in the ocean”.

“Despite our third strategy for zero violence against women, the figures keep rising, it’s an absolute crisis.”

She also warned that many people are “paying two mortgages, one for a house and one for childcare”.

She said the “absolute answer is public childcare because otherwise people can’t work”.

Connolly is running for the Áras against Fine Gael pick Heather Humphreys and speaking to LMFM this morning, Humphreys was asked about the government’s record on housing.

She said there is a “disaster” in housing and that “billions and billions has been spent on housing and what we need to see are results”.

Humphreys said that as president, she would not “let the country down”.

She was also asked if she would “speak out against government policy” and replied that while the presidency is “above politics”, she “can speak out and there’s nobody better to speak out for people”.

“As I said, the presidency is above politics and I can assure you that if I see wrongdoings, if I see injustices, I will speak out.

“I have never been afraid to speak out for people, and as president, that’s what I will do, I will be a voice for this nation.”