Taoiseach discounts mini budget talk saying 'bulk' of surplus has already been allocated

The Taoiseach also said he does not 'anticipate' there being a 'budget before the budget' on October 6

Taoiseach Micheal Martin also noted there is 'concern overall in terms of the impact of AI on jobs' and that he is examining proposals on how AI's impact on the workforce can be identified. Photo: Cillian Sherlock/PA

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has warned that the “bulk” of the Government’s budget surplus has already been accounted for, and the money is not “waiting there to be used”.

Earlier this week, the Department of Finance confirmed that it was projecting the Government’s surplus would be €9.2bn, up from previous projections of €5bn. However, it also predicted an Exchequer deficit of €1.2bn.