Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan said today his cancer had stabilised following the completion of intensive treatment earlier this year.
The Minister also categorically denied reports that he had been sounded out for a possible challenge for leadership of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
In an interview on RTÉ Radion today, Mr Lenihan said he had completed radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment at the end of June and that tests had shown his cancer had stabilised.
"It has improved somewhat but of course, like all cancers it's still there, it hasn't gone away," he said.
"My energy levels, I have to say are much better so I'm in a good position to get on with the important decisions that have to be taken in this country over the next few months," the minister added.
Mr Lenihan said he didn't envisage having to have any further treatment this year but stressed that this was a matter for his doctors to decide.
Mr Lenihan also said that reports suggesting that he had been asked about a challenge for the leadership of Fianna Fáil were incorrect.
The Minister said he had had "far more pressing matters" to deal with over the past year than considering a leadership bid.
"Nobody has sounded me out for the leadership of the party...people are concerned about the direction of the party. People are concerned that the party has lost a lot of support but it is important that we stick to our plans, stick to our guns, we hold our nerve, because no other party has put forward a viable plan for the future of this country," he said.
“I certainly read media reports that I was engaged in a canvas over the summer and I can assure you that was not the case," he said. "I had a very pleasant break in Ireland...during that break I had a number of opportunities to climb various mountains and having a very pleasant vacation and I didn't meet any TDs around them."
The Minister defend the role of Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who has come in for heavy criticism following a number of disastrous polls which show support for Fianna Fáil continuing to plummet.
"The position is that he is leading the country, (and) he has given me tremendous support as finance minister," said Mr Lenihan.
"I have to say that of all the taoisigh we've had in Ireland. I don't think I've seen a taoiseach who has had to sustain so much personal abuse, serial personal abuse in written commentary...it really is extraordinary and despite that what I find is he's bearing up well, working hard and doing his best and certainly giving me support right up to a 100 per cent", he said.
Mr Lenihan also denied that his illness ruled him out of becoming Taoiseach at some point.
"There isn't a vacancy at present so we're not at the stage where you can start discussing who would or would not be leader of a party...everyone in every political party wants to be party leader at some stage but there's no vacancy at present and that's the position," he said.
