The Government has defended breaching its own Budget spending limits again.

This year's €8.3 billion package will be above the 5% limit the Government imposed on itself.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe defended having the limit in the first place.

“I'm so glad we set that 5% spending rule because in the absence of that we would not have had a level of expenditure that we were targeting to move back to,” he said.

“I'm certain we wouldn't have the surpluses of the level that we have now with the funding available to go into the funds set up by Minister McGrath and by Minister Chambers.”

Budget 2025

Budget 2025 will be delivered on October 1st, one week earlier than planned, which has fuelled speculation of an early election.

Presiding over that package will be the newly promoted Finance Minister and Fianna Fáil deputy leader Jack Chambers.

Minister of State Jack Chambers arriving for a Cabinet meeting, 06/09/2023. Image: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

He told The Hard Shoulder this week that housing would be a “core issue” to address in the budget.

“That’s why there is an additional allocation of €1.4 billion for capital this year to drive further delivery in housing,” he said.

“That will be set out by Minister Donohoe through the National Development plan, with some of it focused on housing… and it’s to reach and exceed our housing targets.

“We reached our targets this year; we want to surpass them this year, and Minister O’Brien will be setting new targets for 2025 and beyond.”

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe speaking at Government Buildings in Dublin on August 17th 2023. Image: Sam Boal / © RollingNews.ie