Summary
The Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development invites interested groups or individuals to take part in public consultation and submit written Pre-Budget 2027 proposals. These submissions will inform the budgetary processes of the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
Closing date
The closing date for receipt of submissions is 5 p.m. on Monday, 15th June 2026.
Consultation description
The Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development annually invites public submissions as part of its pre-Budget scrutiny of the Department of Social Protection, and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
This consultation allows stakeholders, such as community groups, NGOs, academics and members of the public, to outline priorities, highlight gaps in existing supports and propose policy change. The process strengthens parliamentary oversight and ensures that lived experience and sectoral expertise feed into the budgetary process, particularly on issues such as income supports, poverty reduction, and rural development. The Committee is also interested in hearing how such proposals may be funded or provided for in the context of a defined budgetary package.
The Committee will consider suitable written submissions received and may decide to invite a selection of contributors to public hearings, should it be considered necessary. The Committee intends to publish a ‘Pre-Budget Submission’ Report based on its own knowledge, the information received through these submissions, and its engagement with stakeholders throughout the year. A copy of this Report will be forwarded to the relevant Ministers for their consideration in advance of Budget 2027.
Please note that a previous report is included below in the Consultation documents section for reference.
Consultation documents
Guidance
If you are interested in responding to a call for submissions it is important that you read our
guidance page.
Privacy
Before making your submission, please read our privacy statement.
- How to send your submission
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Please email an electronic document (searchable PDF or equivalent) to the clerk of the Committee. Submissions in other formats (video, for example) can be facilitated subject to communication with and further guidance from the Committee Clerk.
Please do not send hard copies of your submission, as this may cause confusion and duplication.
Please do not send your submission to individual committee members. The Clerk will ensure all members receive copies of all submissions.
- What to include in your submission
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Your submission should comprise the submission document and a separate covering letter. This allows the Committee to publish your submission without your contact details. Submissions in other formats (video, for example) can be facilitated subject to communication with and further guidance from the Committee Clerk.
In the covering letter, please include:
- your name, email address and contact telephone number
- if the submission is on behalf of an organisation, your position in the organisation
- a brief outline of why you are making the submission
- an indication of whether you would be willing to appear in public session at a committee meeting
In the submission document, please include:
- a brief introduction, for example, explaining your area of expertise
- any factual information that you have to offer from which the committee might be able to draw conclusions, or which could be put to other parties for their reactions
- links to any publications you refer to; there is no need to send such publications as attachments
- any recommendations to the committee; be as specific as possible and summarise your recommendations at the end of the document
- if your document is more than ten pages long, an executive summary of the main points made in the submission
- please remember to number your pages.
- Tips on writing your submission
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Keep your submission concise and to the point. Please do not include any unnecessary or superfluous material that does not relate directly to the topic.
If you refer to other publications, include links to the publications. There is no need to send them as attachments.
Please remember to number your pages.
If you would like more detailed guidance on writing your submission, please contact the Clerk to the Committee.
- Important information
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The Committee cannot consider submissions which deal with matters outside its remit.
The Committee cannot consider submissions which deal with individual cases.
Submissions sent to any other email address may not be accepted.
Anonymous submissions cannot be accepted and will be rejected.
Petitions and form letters may not be accepted or published.
Submissions made to a Committee may be published as received, either as part of a Committee report or separately, if the Committee decides to do so.
Making a submission is a public process
The Committee is not obliged to accept your submission nor is it obliged to publish any or all of the submission if it has been accepted. However, the operations of a parliament are a public process, and you should be aware that any submissions made to a Committee including your identity may be published either as part of a Committee report, or separately, if the Committee decides to do so.