Government sees €9bn in additional Covid-linked spending in 2021

Michael McGrath, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform wrote that there was €16bn in additional spending this year related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Photograph: Moya Nolan

Next week's budget will take into account €9bn in anticipated spending in 2021 linked to the Covid-19 crisis, the Department of Expenditure has said.

The spending for 2021 is before any new measures that will be announced next Tuesday to fund continuing high levels of expenditure in health and education amid the pandemic, the department said in its pre-budget spending update.