Tuesday 07 October 2025 - Budget 2026: The Squeezed Middle & The VAT Cut Debate

Budget 2026 was billed as an investment in the future — but in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, are households actually worse off? Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers and Sinn Féin’s Public Expenditure Spokesperson Mairéad Farrell go head-to-head in studio.We’ll also examine the government’s decision to cut VAT for the hospitality sector. Will it protect jobs — or just pad profits for the so-called “burger barons”?Joining the discussion: Fine Gael TD and President of the Vintners Federation of Ireland John Clendennen, Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney, and John Lee, Executive Editor at the Irish Daily Mail & Mail on Sunday.Politics, pressure, and the price of living — all on The Tonight Show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.