Taoiseach Bertie Ahern declined to give a breakdown of the agreements his Government has made with a number of Independents.
Mr Ahern said he could confirm that as leader of Fianna Fáil he had entered into "political arrangements" with Independents Michael Lowry, Jackie Healy-Rae and Finian McGrath. He added that he had no arrangement with Beverley Flynn.
"The issues discussed, as is normal and appropriate, are covered in the National Development Plan, Transport 21 and the multi-annual capital programmes for public expenditure," he added.
"I have committed myself, through my best endeavours, to implement priorities for these deputies over the next five years. The projects are not outside planned current or capital expenditure in the years ahead."
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said a number of deputies had said that the deals had cost hundreds of millions of euro.
"The Taoiseach is well aware that we have an established procedure here for the disbursement of funds. Estimates are brought in. They are debated, discussed, passed and are public." He added that taxpayers were entitled to know how every euro of their money was spent.
"One of the deputies involved, Deputy Finian McGrath, has said that the pressure is on him from Fianna Fáil sources not to publish the details of his deal which, I understand, involves international changes. Deputy Healy- Rae has said his deal involves changes to the National Development Programme. Deputy Lowry has said his deal involves access and very substantial monies," said Mr Kenny.
"And, following an extraordinary statement by the Taoiseach, in advance of a court case relating to another Independent deputy, he has given what I understands to a verbal commitment of very significant value indeed."
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said that Mr Healy-Rae had stated he had secured commitments worth tens of millions of euro and Mr McGrath had said he had agreed was worth hundreds of millions of euro nationally, including €300 million for services for people with disabilities.
"We have a number of Independent deputies running around the House waving bits of paper, admittedly fairly opaquely."
Mr Ahern said the Independents wanted to see the commitments on which they were elected delivered. "They want to prioritise those issues and they have made a political agreement with me on them. From the experience of some of those deputies, and other deputies who have entered into a similar arrangement over the last decade, it can be seen that I do my utmost to deliver on the issues, perhaps not to every last degree, but to a very good extent," said Mr Ahern.
