Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Alamy Stock Photo

Exchequer surplus of €3.8 billion recorded to end of August

€7.4 billion was collected in tax in August.

IRELAND’S EXCHEQUER SURPLUS stood at €3.8 billion at the end of August, new figures from the Department of Finance show.

Overall, €7.4 billion was collected in tax in August, which is €2.1 billion (40.2 per cent) more than was collected in August 2023.

There was a significant increase in corporation tax receipts in August, which amounted to €3.7 billion, up by €1.9 billion (108.7%) on the same month last year.

However, “the bulk of this increase likely reflects a technical timing factor which depressed receipts earlier in the year”, the Department of Finance explained in a statement, adding that on a year-to-date basis, corporation tax receipts of €16.3 billion were up €3.6 billion (28.4%) on the same period last year.

Income tax receipts of €2.6 billion were collected in August, up by 3.3% on last year, while excise duties of €0.5 billion were collected, up by 9.5%.

Tax revenues overall in the year-to-date were €59.8 billion as of the end of August, which is €6.7 billion (12.6%) higher than the same time last year.

Meanwhile, total gross voted expenditure to end-August came to €63.6 billion – €7.3 billion (12.9%) above the same period in 2023.

In a statement, Minister for Finance Jack Chambers said the tax figures show the “resilience” of the Irish economy.

“The most notable feature of the August performance was the substantial increase in corporation tax receipts. While much of the increase in August relates to a technical timing factor, and offsets a decline earlier in the year, in the year-to-date this revenue stream is now well ahead of last year,” Chambers said.

“However, as I have cautioned previously, these receipts are clearly subject to exceptional volatility. Put simply, there is no guarantee that these revenue streams will remain at this level indefinitely, and it is crucial that we do not build permanent spending commitments on the back of these,” he said.

“With the two new investment funds – the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund – we are setting aside a portion of windfall tax receipts to prepare for future fiscal challenges. At the same time, Government will continue to calibrate a budgetary policy that balances the need to address the pressures of today and while, at the same time, maintaining our public finances on a sustainable trajectory over the medium-term.

“Budget 2025, which Minister Donohoe and I will present to the Oireachtas on October 1st, will be framed on this basis.”

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
71 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brendan murphy
    Favourite brendan murphy
    Report
    Nov 15th 2023, 11:34 PM

    Why is there a comment section when 1 out of the first 12 stories you’re only allowed to comment on.

    69
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tommy Haze
    Favourite Tommy Haze
    Report
    Nov 15th 2023, 11:44 PM

    @brendan murphy:
    I think the Journal is testing the water to determine whether clicks decrease when comments are closed. By my reckoning, based solely on casual observance of viewer numbers since this policy began there is no noticeable deterioration which could result in less opportunity for debate below the line.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute
    Favourite
    Report
    Nov 15th 2023, 11:20 PM

    Let rte go to the wall don’t pay TV licence don’t keep overpaid messer in handy jobs

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
    Favourite Ollie McGlinchey
    Report
    Nov 15th 2023, 10:49 PM

    Hopefully they’ll actually employ people to take care of this instead of just paying hundreds of millions in fines every year.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute
    Favourite
    Report
    Nov 15th 2023, 11:41 PM

    @Ollie McGlinchey: Ai?

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JP
    Favourite JP
    Report
    Nov 15th 2023, 11:54 PM

    Is the journal afraid of litigation? So many stories deserve comments or are there just too many bots from very dodgy sources ?

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mainmsam
    Favourite mainmsam
    Report
    Nov 16th 2023, 12:08 AM

    @JP: it’s people who can’t engage with other people & just start calling people names. “Bot” seems popular at the moment especially for those who have different opinions from those calling Bot every 5 seconds

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Mongan
    Favourite Martin Mongan
    Report
    Nov 16th 2023, 8:45 AM

    @mainmsam: I think it’s more to do with people using multiple profiles to talk absolute nonsense, usually all on the same story and the journal isn’t bothered given them time. As usual the one brainless idiot ruins it for everyone

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute offside again
    Favourite offside again
    Report
    Nov 16th 2023, 1:00 AM

    Journal.ie is my only social media activity. I don’t care about meta or Twitter or whatever ..
    I prefer a life without it.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute I9AQcjXs
    Favourite I9AQcjXs
    Report
    Nov 16th 2023, 7:20 AM

    @ : yeah, who would support people being ethnically cleansed from their lands, their children disintegrated by Israeli weapons from the west on a daily basis!
    You people are incredibly inhumane.. ignorance is bliss i suppose!

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute I9AQcjXs
    Favourite I9AQcjXs
    Report
    Nov 16th 2023, 7:23 AM

    @ Peter Murray: what absolute nonsense have you could up with in your little head? Do you feel better after your virtue signalling rant?

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute smatrix mantra
    Favourite smatrix mantra
    Report
    Nov 16th 2023, 10:03 AM

    Just close all the comments unless journal can moderate properly supporting civil debates. A platform that allows often harrowing and extreme opinions, spam, bots etc, is doing more harm to society than not journaling at all.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute had the same problem with them here
    Favourite had the same problem with them here
    Report
    Nov 16th 2023, 6:40 PM

    Israel is a new age terr0r1st group and should be stopped

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds