Budget 2027 offers some relief, but Tipperary businesses need action on costs and infrastructure

County Tipperary Chamber has welcomed targeted measures for employers in Budget 2027, but said businesses across the county still need relief from rising costs and certainty on the infrastructure needed to grow.

Speaking after today's Budget speeches, Chief Executive Michelle Aylward said:

"For a small business in Clonmel, Thurles, Nenagh or any of our towns, the test of this Budget is straightforward: will it make it easier to keep people employed, invest and plan for the future? The increase in the employer PRSI threshold is welcome, but it addresses only part of the pressure businesses face. The extension of fuel excise relief helps, but energy, insurance, wages and other operating costs continue to add up."

The weekly employer PRSI threshold will rise from €552 to €600, with potential savings of €650–€700 a year for employers in respect of employees affected by the change. The Chamber also welcomed the increase in the first-year R&D tax credit payment threshold to €105,000, a measure it sought in its Pre-Budget Submission.

"Tipperary has strong manufacturing, agri-food and engineering businesses. Making the R&D credit more useful to smaller firms gives them greater scope to develop products and processes here in the county," Michelle Aylward said.

The Chamber welcomed the new three-year National Training Fund skills package, including €150 million focused on skills for a future shaped by AI.

"Businesses in Tipperary need training they can put to work immediately, whether that means using AI to improve productivity or helping staff adapt to new technology. Employers contribute to the National Training Fund. County Tipperary Chamber can help ensure smaller firms benefit from that investment," Michelle Aylward said.

The Chamber said measures to reduce childcare costs will help local employers recruit and retain staff. It also welcomed funding to recruit up to 1,000 trainee Gardaí and said businesses need to see a visible policing presence in Tipperary's town centres.

On infrastructure, Michelle Aylward said:

"The N24 is a daily route for workers, freight and customers. The N62 Thurles Bypass matters to businesses and to the future of the town centre. Neither received a project-specific funding milestone in today's speeches. We need clear, funded next steps for both.

"We also need to know when water and electricity capacity will be available where Tipperary businesses want to expand and where new homes are needed. A national allocation only makes a difference to this county when projects are delivered on the ground."

Michelle Aylward concluded:

"Tipperary businesses are doing their part: employing people, training staff and investing in their communities. We support Chambers Ireland's call for further action on the cost of doing business. We will keep pressing for that action and for the infrastructure investment that allows businesses in this county to grow."