Green Party leader would ‘not object’ to bringing forward Budget by a month

The Green Party leader has said he would not object to bringing forward this year’s Budget by a month.

The idea to announce the Budget in September has been mooted by coalition parties, as the Government comes under pressure to do more to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

The Cabinet is set to make a decision on the matter next week.

Eamon Ryan said the Government is right to reject calls from the opposition to take immediate action.

“We are in the middle of a national economic dialogue and dialogue with international partners. It’s good to involve them in some of the difficult choices we have to make,” Mr Ryan told RTE Morning Ireland.

“We had a meeting on Monday with Paschal Donohoe and Michael McGrath. They will go to Cabinet next week and set out our summer economic statement. So it’s giving a projection as to where we are as we start framing and preparing the Budget.

“I wouldn’t object if we had to move it to the September period rather than October and that’s a matter for Cabinet to decide early next week.

“I would not want what the opposition wants which is doing it today.

“I think the critical thing in the Budget is that it is going to be a difficult winter and autumn because there is a strong possibility that Russia will use the flow of gas and turn it off in a deliberate way to try and further put pressure on the European Union.

“In those circumstances I think the measures in the Budget do have to be targeted as much as possible, at those at risk of fuel poverty.

“I think that’s one of the key things we need to get around.”

“It’s about looking at a variety of families who could be working, who may not be fully reliant on social welfare, it’s using time over the coming weeks with social partners to hear their views, and don’t do the Budget three months in advance.”

Mr Ryan also said he does not expect fuel rationing or power outages happening over the winter months.

“We are in a different situation to some of the countries like Germany, or Austria or Holland, where they have up to 80% of their gas supplies coming from Russia and that is central to their industrial whole strategy,” he added.

“In our case, it’s probably about 2 to 3%, most of our gas either comes from the Corrib or the UK and Norway.

“We will be affected by the higher prices, which have been driven up by Russia using oil and gas as a political tool in this war.

“There is this risk around future oil supplies because Russia exports account for about three million barrels in the international markets.

“But we have taken a lot of steps with the international energy to prepare for that.”