Figures a huge boost for Government

The latest exchequer figures will provide a huge boost to the Government’s efforts to make a successful exit from the EU/IMF bailout programme later this month.

There was a budget deficit of €8.6bn at the end of November, which was a €4.4bn improvement on the first 11 months of 2011.

“This is by some distance the strongest set of Exchequer figures produced this year, with tax revenues coming in 3.1% ahead of forecasts. In the context of our upcoming exit from the bailout terms, they should give further confidence to both current and prospective investors in Irish debt,” said Peter Vale, a partner at the consultancy firm, Grant Thornton.