Exchequer surplus narrows as Apple tax windfall distorts annual figures

Once-off Apple tax receipts skew comparisons as underlying corporation tax and overall revenues show strong growth in 2025

A headline exchequer surplus of €7.1bn was recorded in 2025, the government said, with this comparing to a surplus of €12.8bn in 2024, a decline of €5.7bn which was also impacted by revenues arising from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling on Apple. 

The Government collected €3.6bn in corporation tax in December, bringing total corporation tax receipts for 2025 to €34.7bn.

New figures released by the Department of Finance on Tuesday showed total corporation tax fell by more than €4bn year on year, but noted that 2024 figures were distorted by once-off proceeds from last year’s Apple tax case, which delivered more than €14bn in unpaid taxes to the Exchequer.