Tax take to be down €1.8bn

THE tax take will be €1.8bn behind target by the end of this year and continue to fall in 2010, official projections have indicated.

In addition, job losses and pay cuts mean that the social welfare budget will increase next year, placing further pressure on the public purse.

The 2010 Estimates of Receipts and Expenditure, released by the Department of Finance overnight, indicate that, by the end of this year, the total tax take will reach just €32.75m.