Generous Budget expected after healthy Exchequer figures
The prospect of a generous Budget next week is now more likely than not given the healthy state of the public finances.
Estimated final receipts for the year ending December 2006 published last night indicate an Exchequer surplus of €1.8bn.
The revenue is substantially greater than what the Government forecast at the start of the year.
The Taoiseach last night hinted at the real prospect of a cut in taxes, while remaining cautious about over-spending.
“The figures are quite extraordinary and quite welcome - to have 2% of GDP as surplus, €4bn is something we're very happy about,” he said.
“It does give the minister more room to manoeuvre, but I think we have to balance that with what we've continually said all year, which we won't change from.”
