The Green Party leader said he doesn't agree with rivals calling for an immediate Budget, however.
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said that he would not be opposed to this year's Budget taking place earlier than its planned October date.
However, the Minister rejected calls from opposition rivals to introduce the Budget at the earliest possible scenario, favouring a potential September pivot instead.
Speaking on Morning Ireland on
RTÉ Radio 1 on Thursday, Ryan indicated that a decision on a possible move will be made in the coming days.
"I wouldn't object if we had to move into the September period rather than October," he said.
"And I think that's a matter for Cabinet to decide early next week. I don't believe we should go [with] what the opposition are calling for; doing it today."
Asked if he was "advocating" for an early Budget rather than simply not objecting to one and if he will speak up on the matter, Ryan acknowledged that some difficult months lie ahead for the Irish public.
"I'll make my covenants in Cabinet. I think the critical thing in the Budget is that it is going to be a difficult winter and autumn because there is a strong possibility that Russia will use the flow of gas and turn it off in a deliberate way to try and further put pressure on the European Union.
"In those circumstances, I think our measures in the Budget to have to be targeted, as much as possible, to protect those at risk of fuel poverty. That's one of the key things we need to get right."
Minister Ryan has previously stated that
no emergency measures would be activated in line with the current cost of living crisis before October.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, meanwhile, has said that this year's Budget
will reflect the the crisis, admitting that "a difficult period lies ahead" for the Irish economy.
This week, independent think-tank Social Justice Ireland
called for an increase of €20 in social welfare payments and for a living wage of €12.90 to be introduced this year, ahead of a
previously announced timeline of the next four years on the latter.
Featured Image of Eamon Ryan via Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie
