Ministers holding off on signing budget plans ‘entirely normal’, says Varadkar

The Taoiseach has downplayed the significance of several ministers having not yet signed off on departmental spending plans ahead of next week’s budget.

Leo Varadkar said it was “entirely normal” for ministers to continue to press for the best deal for their priorities until the weekend prior to the budget.

Some ministers are set for a busy weekend as they engage with Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe on their funding envelopes for 2024.

One of the biggest issues to be addressed ahead of the finalising the budget is a one billion euro overspend at the Department of Health this year.

Mr Varadkar said he was confident the final package would be signed off by Sunday.

“It’s generally the case that a number of departments don’t sign off until the last day or the last two days,” he told reporters in Granada in Spain.

“You know, that’s ministers defending their position and trying to secure every last euro for their priorities. That’s entirely normal. It’s what you’d expect.

“But I’d be confident that we’ll have pretty much everything signed off by Sunday.”

Ministers have already signalled the budget will include moves on income tax and USC (universal social charge) payments, as well as support for people struggling with high energy bills.

Mr Varadkar has said the package will include a series of measures to tackle cost-of-living pressures; provide support for businesses; and help parents with childcare responsibilities.

Mr Donohoe and Finance Minister Michael McGrath will announce the budget in the Dail on Tuesday afternoon.

The Budget 2024 package is set at 6.4 billion euro, with taxation measures amounting to 1.1 billion euro.

Mr Varadkar has said people will feel the benefit of the cost-of-living measures before Christmas.

However, he has cautioned that the scale of the one-off measures announced will not be on the same scale as those included in last year’s budget.