Paschal Donohoe has said Government ministers won't be taking a pay cut during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Finance Minister claimed that he and his colleagues "haven't experienced the wage increases that others have".
Ministers receive a basic TD payment of €96,189, as well as an additional allowance of €79,510 paid by their department.
Mr Donohoe told Pat Kenny on Newstalk: "I have not experienced any of the wage increases in recent years that any other public servant, or indeed many politicians, have.
"I didn't believe at the time, and don't believe now, that it would have been appropriate for me to have the wage improvements that are available for many.
"And because of that my current plan at the moment is not to implement any further changes in that area."
The Minister went on to say that a clearer picture of the economic situation will emerge when the exchequer returns for April are published next week.
He added: "Next week we will get our exchequer returns published for the month of April, and they will bring us closer to understanding what is the impact of this disease on PAYE tax and also on other tax heads that are associated with consumption in our country.
"We didn't get a really clear picture of that in March, because it was looking back over a period of in which the disease had not developed in the way it now has.
"There is much to be concerned about in terms of where we are with falling tax revenue, and the need of additional public money to be spent quickly.
"But while there is much to be concerned about, there's an equal amount to be confident and positive about.
"We should be acknowledging the many people who are still at work, who are creating the income and the taxes that allow that money to be spent - and secondly if I look at where we were before we moved into this crisis, the quality of our public finances, the diversity of the Irish economy, the flexibility of many employers and those who work for them I'm absolutely certain those qualities will allow our economy to be rebuilt over time".
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