Minister for Finance Michael Noonan underwent a medical procedure over Christmas after being diagnosed with an infection involving fluid in the chest area.
In a personal statement, Mr Noonan said he was diagnosed two weeks before Christmas.
The minister, who is still in a Dublin hospital, said he is now "well on the mend".
He added that he will be attending Cabinet on 5 January and looks forward to contesting the upcoming general election.
It is the second surgery he has had this year after undergoing a procedure to resolve an eye complaint.
Last year, he had both surgery and radiotherapy to tackle a cancerous sarcoma on his right arm.
