The Government will unveil its aid package for Northern Ireland after it has studied Britain's £50 billion devolution fund.
British Chancellor Gordon Brown said yesterday that the money, which will be injected over 10 years, was dependent on political parties achieving power-sharing in early 2007.
Tánaiste Michael McDowell told the Dáil today that the British aid package for Northern Ireland was significant and that the Government would announce a similar fund soon.
He said: "This is a significant programme of expenditure over a number of years and we are now studying it to see what is already committed and what is new.
"The Irish Government will make its own intentions known in relation to additional new expenditure to aid the peace process in Northern Ireland and infrastructural development there when we have an opportunity to study the British package."
Cavan-Monaghan TD Seymour Crawford also called for similar funding for Border counties. "There was no inward investment in Donegal, Cavan or Monaghan as a result of the Troubles," he said.
A Sinn Féin delegation is meeting the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, at Government Buildings this morning to discuss developments in the British-Irish attempt to have power-sharing institutions established by March.