MEMBERS OF THE Fianna Fáil parliamentary team will gather later in Co Offaly for the party’s annual think-in, where the upcoming budget will be at the centre of policy discussions. 

Taoiseach and party leader Micheál Martin said the event would focus on easing cost-of-living pressures, supporting families and households, protecting jobs and investing in infrastructure.

The event will take place under the theme “Supporting People, Protecting Jobs, Improving Infrastructure”.

Martin said he was looking forward to the meeting “so that our parliamentary party members can examine our political priorities for the next Dáil term”.

He said that ahead of the budget in October, “we are committed to easing the cost-of-living pressures on families and households during this time of sustained global volatility”.

Martin said the party would “retain relentless focus on investment and the delivery of critical infrastructure and housing”.

Over the weekend, two senior Fianna Fáil ministers indicated that the government may delay increasing the Carbon Tax once again come budget time. 

The minister for public expenditure, Jack Chambers, said a decision had not yet been made on the topic while Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said a delay was “on the table”. 

The deferral of the tax increase was announced in April, following the fuel protests and blockades.

At the time, the government said the planned increase due to kick in on 1 May 2026 of €71 per tonne would be postponed until 14 October 2026.

“We are focused on reducing income tax, the cost of childcare and the cost of disability while at the same time safeguarding our future by investing in our Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund,” Martin said ahead of today’s event. 

Fianna Fáil is not the only party holding its annual think-in this week. 

Sinn Féin members are meeting in Malahide on Wednesday and Fine Gael are having their get-together in Gorey on Thursday. 

With reporting from Press Association