The Government has announced it is to spend an additional €150m on capital projects, including roads, local authority housing and schools, for 2013 to 2014.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform said this marked the first time there has been an increase to the capital budget since cutbacks began in 2008.
Brendan Howlin said the extra spending would support 3,000 jobs.
Minister for State with Responsibility for Housing Jan O'Sullivan said an extra €50m would help retro-fit 25,000 local authority homes with insulation.
Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn said the €50m spent in his department would result in replacement of ten schools and 18 large-scale extensions and refurbishments.
He said these projects were ready to go to tender this year.
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said the €50m spent by his department would upgrade 600km of roads.
He did not give details of which roads and said he would talk to the local authorities first.
The additional spending announced today has come from the sale of State assets, including the National Lottery and Bord Gáis Energy.
Mr Howlin said there would also be a pipeline of €250m funding from Public Private Partnerships for health, education, justice and transport.
The minister said more than half of the money for the projects would come from private sources.
Fianna Fáil has said the additional expenditure does not make up for cuts that the Government has already made to the capital budget.
The party's Public Expenditure and Reform spokesperson Sean Fleming described the announcement as "political window dressing".
