The Taoiseach has again failed to rule out the prospect of an early election - saying his immediate focus is on the Budget.

Enda Kenny's comments come a day after saying he wouldn't decide on an election date until after the Budget next week.

Labour ministers are insisting the best course of action is to wait until next year to ask the country for a second term.

The public expenditure minister Brendan Howlin argues that there are too many 'big ticket' pieces of legislation that still haven't been passed by the current Dáil - and the time should be given for those laws to be enacted before the Dáil is dissolved.

He says that aside from the Social Welfare Bill and Finance Bill that come as part of the Budget, the Oireachtas also has to pass legislation restoring some pay to public sector workers.

There's also outstanding legislation on adoption, trade unions, civil marriage and school admissions which have still to be passed.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News: