Minister for Public Expenditure Donohoe has today agreed to spend an additional €2.25 billion on capital projects between now and 2026.
The National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-30 published in October 2021 initially set out €165 billion of funding for capital projects across the country.
This new funding will have a particular focus on housing, transport, and education facilities.
The minister insisted the additional spending is not in any way linked to the timing of the next general election which must take place by next March.
There was a feeling of an end of an era when ministers gathered for the Taoiseach’s final Cabinet meeting today, Mr Donohoe said.
He added that Leo Varadkar was not “emotional” or “sentimental” and oversaw the meeting in a “very professional manner”.
Asked if he had discussed standing in the next general election with incoming Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, Mr Donohoe said he would not comment.
He said: “I’ve had discussions with Simon, but they were primarily around the National Development Plan.
“My own view is that he is entitled to complete freedom in any decisions he makes, lack of public comment by me while he’s doing it, he has an incredibly hard set of decisions to make and I won’t be making them any harder for him,” he continued.
