Pascal Donohoe confirms he will run in General Election with ‘no plans’ to step down from Cabinet

However, the Fine Gael minister said it is up to the new Taoiseach if he will return to his post.

His comments follow intense speculation that Minister Donohoe would step down from Irish politics before next September, with Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney announcing that he will step down from Cabinet next week.

“No I am not planning any announcement about standing down. Yes, I hope to continue doing the work that I am doing but that is a matter for the new Taoiseach and party leader,” he said.

“I am not going to say anything that is going to make his job even more difficult.”

He added that “there is some change happening” however, he stressed that change can be a “regular feature of a Government” and that the Government will continue to fulfil its mandate.

He was speaking after a briefing on the exchequer returns for the first quarter of 2024 with Finance Minister Michael McGrath.

Mr Donohoe said he believes there is a “really important debate” yet to be had regarding the work that he and Minister McGrath are engaged in and its “benefit to our society and economy”.

He said that together through four budgets, both departments have supported the country through a pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis and managed to get the budget into surplus.

He said that this amounted to a further €2.25 billion in capital expenditure growth which he said “few economies are able to do at the moment”.

“I want to make the argument for that in the time ahead, so I will be running in the next general election and it is a matter for Minister Harris regarding who he wants to do what,” he said.

Minister Donohoe and Minister McGrath both denied any plans for a mini-budget after Minister Harris becomes Taoiseach next Tuesday.

“We have no plans to bring forward an additional budget,” Minister Donohoe said.

His remarks come ahead of the Fine Gael Ard Fheis which is set to take place this weekend in Galway, with motions to be tabled on key issues such as AI, water supply, VAT, health and housing.

One motion at the Ard Fheis in University of Galway calls on the Government to create the position of Minister of State for Online Safety and Artificial Intelligence.

Another calls on Government to plan and invest in appropriate medical care infrastructure, appropriately skilled personnel, proactive health screening and preventative strategies.

The VAT rate for food-based hospitality businesses will also be discussed, with the Ard Fheis calling for the rate to be reduced to 9pc

In relation to road deaths, a discussion will take place calling on Fine Gael in government to increase investment for local and rural roads with a special fund to tackle identified black spots on rural roads.