What primary school students would do with budget billions

Budget 2026, due to be announced tomorrow, is a major topic of conversation around the country — even on the school playground.

Finance minister Paschal Donohoe and public expenditure minister Jack Chambers are expected to confirm the financial package around midday.

While the announcement for 2025 was deemed a ‘give-away budget’, this year’s announcement is expected to be more restrained with around €7.9bn allocated for public spending.

Given that the budget is just around the corner, we visited a ‘school around the corner’ to get the perspective of primary school pupils in Cork.

Bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase playground politics, The Echo spoke with third class pupils in Frankfield’s Scoil Niocláis to hear what the young people of Ireland would do if they were the Taoiseach for a day and given the billions of euro to spend.

The third class students prepared a personal manifesto, highlighting what issues they think need to be addressed, revealing how Ireland looks from the unique perspective of a child and what they think are the country’s most pressing issues.

For the children at Scoil Niocláis, there were many pressing issues that they thought deserved attention, as well as extra funding; there was, however, a little left over in the kitty for a horse, a swimming pool, and free Netflix for all.

When asked to define what the budget is, pupil Daisy described it as being “a lot of money that the Taoiseach spends”.

When asked what she thinks Taoiseach Micheál Martin spends the money on, she guessed that he would buy himself a swimming pool with it.

She has pledged to ask Mr Martin this directly when he visits Scoil Niocláis next week as part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

For the children, homelessness and wars overseas played a significant role in their plans for the country’s spending.

One student, Elise, said: “I have seen people who have to sleep beside bins before.

“I was in the city with my dad, and I saw a man behind a bin sleeping. It made me really sad to see him.”

Student Daisy said: “I don’t think it is fair that some people have to sleep in a tent on the side of the road.

“I have seen that before too, so I think that more houses should be built, and they should be a lot more affordable than they are right now,” she said.

For their classmate Avaya, ongoing wars in Ukraine and in Gaza were high on her agenda.

As part of her Budget 2026 plans, she said she wants to send aid to those living in conflict.

“It is not fair that there are children in those countries who are starving, and we are safe in our bed,” she said.

Mia agreed, adding that she would: “give money to the people in those countries so that they could be safe”.

One measure that the third class pupils would like to see included in the budget announcement is a ban on homework, with nearly all pupils in agreement that a homework ban should be high on the list of priorities for Government ministers.

Pupils also said that the introduction of a four-day week-end would also be of great benefit.

One child, Alice, mentioned the high cost of petrol and electricity, noting that she has heard people giving out about the high costs.

There was also a reminder to turn off the lights when not necessary.

Fellow third-class pupil Sam highlighted how many shops and restaurants he has seen close due to high costs, and so he placed an importance on cutting taxes for businesses as part of his budget plans.

Animal lover Rachel said that she hopes to invest “at least €500” in providing leisure activities such as swimming pools and horse-riding lessons for all schools, with the possibility of buying herself a horse that she plans to name Budget if she has any money left over.

Rachel O'Sullivan

“If I was given all the money, the first thing I would do is buy every school horse riding lessons because I want everyone to enjoy it too. I don’t have my own horse, but if I had some of the budget money, maybe I could buy myself a horse with spots. I would also build a special restaurant for homeless people to get food because not everyone has food and water and I don’t think that is fair.

Daisy Callanan

"I would spend the money on making housing more affordable because everyone deserves a home. I don’t think that it is fair that people have to sleep in a tent on the side of the road. I also think that we work ourselves too hard in Ireland so I would make more bank holidays and ban homework for everyone under the age of 93. I would give money to the people in Gaza as well."

Sam Murphy

“If I was Taoiseach, I would make more footpaths, and bus stops for people who can’t afford cars.

“I would lower taxes because sometimes people can go bankrupt because the taxes are too expensive. My family gives out about the price of petrol and the price of crisps so I would make all crisps free. I would also build more hospitals. I think I might build 10 hospitals; I would spend maybe one billion on that.”

Mia Grace

"If I was Taoiseach, I would spend money so there would be no fighting or wars. I wish everyone was safe from all the fires and bombs that I see on the news. I would give money to people that don't have food or homes by building them homes and giving them blankets. I think that is big problem in Ireland. I would also give €10 Billion to the people who pick up rubbish."

Avaya Anthony

“I would send money, food and supplies to the people in Gaza and Ukraine. I would love to help the homeless people. I would also lower the price of gas, petrol and food. I would get more doctors and nurses so that waiting lists in hospitals would be shorter. I would also lower the price of takeaways and make school only three days of the week. I would also get rid of TV licences and make Netflix free.”

Malick Elsaih

“If I was Taoiseach, I would make sure that everyone feels included in Ireland. I would use my role to make an anti-bullying and cyber bullying campaign and look after the mental health of children in Ireland. I would spend money on looking after the environment, because if there was a lot of trash, it would kill animals and trees. I would put maybe €200 from the budget into looking after the environment.”

Elise Adekeke

“Some people in Ireland don’t have food or water and don’t have a house and have to live by bins.

“They don’t deserve to have lives like this, so if I was Taoiseach, I would do everything I could to help them and make their lives better and I will also give some of the money to charities. I would also like to build a big home for the poor that would have beds, food, and a classroom.”

Alice Rose Crowley

“If I was Taoiseach, I would spend money on a voluntary dinner kitchen for the homeless and the poor. I would also build more public bathrooms, especially in places like GAA grounds. I always see litter, and I would spend money on more bins. It would be really cool to be a woman Taoiseach and if I was to run for Taoiseach, I would give everyone who voted for me free ice cream.”