South Dublin County Council approved its annual budget
Budget about expansion of services to match population
MEMBERS approved the 2026 Budget for South Dublin County Council at the annual budget meeting on Thursday.
It contains plans for overall expenditure of €422,581,000, a 7.6% increase on the 2025 adopted budget.
Speaking at the budget meeting, SDCC chief executive Colm Ward the budget is “demonstrably about the expansion of services to match growth in population, infrastructure and facilities.”
Mr Ward said the retention of a 0% vacancy rate refund will encourage occupancy of vacant commercial and industrial premises.
An increase to commercial rates of approximately 1.5% will “support expanded service delivery and forward planning for future development of the county.”
Mr Ward said the 7.5% reduction in Local Property Tax “showed great local leadership” by the elected members of the council and provides just over €3m in discretionary extra income for priority local services and projects.
Director of Finance Ronan Fitzgerald said the expansion brings with it significant increases in costs “driven not only by the scale of the developments we have put in place, but also by inflationary pressures.”
“The costs of materials, utilities, contractors and the labour have all seen notable increases making it more difficult and challenging to deliver a balanced budget,” said Mr Fitzgerald.
Funding for new initiatives under a new economic strategy are also included with €500,000 for business district improvements, €250,000 for a “Beyond County Hall” innovation fund to support local private, public and community stakeholders to collaborate and develop new solutions to challenges across any of the council’s service areas, and €200,000 for evening-time economy initiatives.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Ronan McMahon (Ind) asked if there was any evidence that the council’s actions in the last five years on the vacancy refund has had any effect on the number of vacant premises in the county or is it “just another tax.”
Responding, Mr Ward said the impact of what the council have done had led to less applications coming forward for refunds which is a “byproduct of knowing that there’s not going to be anything given.”
Red Network Cllr Madeleine Johansson voted against the council’s Budget, condemning it as “unfair and unjust to working people.”
“This Budget is based on a 7.5% increase in the Local Property Tax, squeezing more money from people already struggling to pay mortgages, groceries, and heating bills.
“Meanwhile, big corporations like Amazon, Microsoft and Google will barely notice a 1.5% increase in commercial rates — ordinary people are once again being forced to foot the bill.”
Johansson also criticised the council’s long-term plan to increase council rents, describing it as “disgraceful” and a direct attack on working-class families.
“This decision will push more families into hardship and condemn more children to poverty. Council tenants in Dublin City will be protesting against rent increases on December 1, and I will work to build the same protest movement here in South Dublin.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Darragh Adelaide (PBP) welcomed the announcement that €100,000 has been allocated for the development of a Detached Street Work Programme in Clondalkin – part of the Connect 4 Programme in Tallaght, a youth work initiative jointly led by South Dublin County Partnership and the Tallaght Drugs and Alcohol Task Force.
“This is a project that has been sorely needed in Clondalkin,” said Cllr Adelaide.
“Since I was elected, I have been fighting to bring a detached street work model here, proposing it at last years budget after getting elected. It’s something our community urgently needs – a project that meets young people where they are, builds trust, and gives them a real chance to thrive.
“When Connect 4 came in to present to councillors last month, it was clear how transformative their work has been in west Tallaght. They are making streets safer, supporting young people, and strengthening communities. That’s exactly the kind of positive, practical youth work we need in Clondalkin,” said Cllr Adelaide.
