HAI Launches Pre-Budget Submission for Budget 2026

Hardware Association Ireland (HAI) has today (Monday, 22nd September) launched its Pre-Budget Submission for Budget 2026, setting out more than 30 proposals aimed at tackling Ireland’s housing crisis, reducing vacancy and dereliction, decarbonising our built environment, and ensuring a sustainable future for the hardware and building materials sector.

Ireland today needs a fairer deal for first-time buyers, more homes, more home ownership, greater population density in our towns and cities, and decisive reductions in vacancy and dereliction. We must also take urgent action to cut carbon emissions while optimising the use of existing housing stock. The value proposition is clear: this is a smart investment that delivers benefits for people, communities, the sector, and the economy.

Younger people have been hardest hit by the housing crisis, with home ownership collapsing among those under 44 and a sharp increase in working adults living with their parents. This has created pent-up demand for at least 120,000 homes – equivalent to the housing stock of Galway City and County.

Key proposals from HAI’s Pre-Budget Submission include:

• Housing Targets – Ensure national housing targets fully reflect the needs of our growing population and economy, with infrastructure delivery mandated and funded.
• Rejuvenating Empty Homes – Introduce specific targets for empty and derelict homes within the National Development Plan, expand the network of Vacant Homes Officers, and waive stamp duty to encourage revitalisation.
• “Above the Shop” Homes – This is a large and distinct segment within the Empty Homes sector. Tackle commercial vacancy by incentivising the redevelopment of upper floors in villages, towns, and cities nationwide, including a three-year waiver of Capital Gains Tax to release financial
• Improving Affordability for New Homes – Reduce VAT on newly built homes, ease restrictive planning regulations, and address third-party planning objections to make homes more affordable, particularly for first-time buyers.
• Decarbonising Our Built Environment – Drive energy efficiency upgrades and adoption of renewable technologies to reduce Ireland’s carbon footprint, strengthen energy security, and create thousands of green jobs.
• Upskilling the Sector – Launch a national campaign to attract people into trades, support apprenticeships through grant aid, and introduce double tax deductions for companies investing in renewable and clean energy training.
• Reducing Business Costs – Support the resilience of the hardware and building materials sector by reducing PRSI to 1% and avoiding cost burdens that would undermine housing delivery and sector viability.

Commenting on the submission, HAI’s CEO, Martin Markey said:

“Hardware Association Ireland (HAI) believes that the recommendations detailed herein are a coherent and compelling response to the challenges and opportunities that we face – an active strategy of what we can do. They are both appropriate and pro-social with a particular relevance for much-needed regeneration throughout the country.”

The full Pre-Budget Submission for Budget 2026 is now available to view here.

For any queries regarding our Pre-Budget Submission, please contact Martin Markey at 01 2980969.