No mini-budget planned as Harris set to become taoiseach

Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

There are no plans to bring forward a mini-budget as Simon Harris prepares to be named as the next taoiseach on Tuesday, Government ministers have said.

Mr Harris said he plans to “flesh out” his priorities for his tenure during the Fine Gael Ard Fheis this weekend.

He has previously mentioned costs facing small businesses, farmers and crime as being among the areas on which he wants to focus.

Minister for Finance Michael McGrath said the focus was still on implementing the budget announced last October.

“We’re still in the process of implementing Budget 2024 and if you think about a number of the measures that will ease the burden on households, for example, whether it be the expansion of (free) school books, the reduction in childcare fees, those measures have yet to kick in.”

He mentioned several proposals that are to come in as part of Budget 2024 and those that are yet to be enacted, including a tax debt warehousing scheme.

“All in all, our focus is on implementing Budget 2024. The next budget will be in October of this year. There won’t be a mini-budget,” he said on Thursday.

“That’s not to say that we’re not open to individual specific measures that we’ve already set in train as a government because we recognise there are cost pressures there. We will take that on board.”

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said: “I agree with everything that Minister McGrath said in response to the question on the need for an additional budget.”

He said he would engage with the Department of Agriculture in relation to farmers whose lands have been affected by excess rain, adding: “I do think that further measures are needed.”

Mr Donohoe said: “What can normally happen during the year is that Government ministers and their departments can decide to make additional measures available from inside the funding that’s allocated to them on Budget Day. That happens regularly.

“I think the Department of Agriculture has said that they want to monitor this issue for a bit longer. I’m sure when they’ve done that, they’ll make a decision as to whether any further support is needed.”

Asked whether Mr Harris had expressed his confidence in him and his position in Cabinet, Mr Donohoe said: “I haven’t looked for any commitments, nor would I ever.

“I’ve been through these moments now many, many, many times in the past. In my experience, there’s little to be gained by saying things that make the work of the Taoiseach any harder. So, I will leave it to him to make those decisions.”