Tax take booms but spending concerns persist

Coalition ministers yesterday hailed a bounty of taxes, saying that the economic recovery has been secured and reiterated plans for an expansionary pre-budget budget.

The exchequer had €1.74bn more in revenues in the coffers over the first nine months this year than it had anticipated a year ago, figures published yesterday showed.

That will underpin plans for spending increases and tax cuts by Finance Minister Michael Noonan in his budget later this month.