Dublin – Ireland’s growing population is placing significant pressure on the government’s upcoming Budget 2025, according to Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Donohoe emphasized the challenges of maintaining public services as the country’s population continues to expand.
According to Breaking News, the budget, which includes a €6.9 billion spending package, has already allocated €5.1 billion to meet existing service requirements, including public pay agreements and the National Development Plan. However, the remaining €1.8 billion earmarked for new expenditure measures will need to address the increased demand driven by population growth.
“We have a population which continues to grow – which is a really good and a really, really important thing – but it does mean that the cost of maintaining the same quality of public services is going up year after year,” Donohoe said. He pointed to the healthcare sector as a key area feeling the strain, with emergency departments across major hospitals witnessing unprecedented numbers.
Donohoe noted that the demographic changes anticipated for the medium term are already impacting the budget, stressing that these shifts have “big consequences” for the allocation of funds for new measures.
As the government finalizes its plans for Budget 2025, the challenge of balancing the demands of a growing population with the need for sustainable public services will be a central focus.4o