Irish tax take remains one of EU’s lowest

IRELAND’S tax take as a percentage of GDP recorded the second highest increase in the EU last year but remains one of the lowest for overall tax take, according to new figures.

The increase bucks the trend in the EU overall, where the tax take fell from an average of 40.9% in 2003 to 40.7% last year. The trend in the eurozone was similar.

The highest increases in tax-to-GDP ratio were Malta (from 34.5% in 2003 to 36.7% in 2004) and Ireland (from 30.4% to 31.7%).