Tax take up by €600m in first four months

There has been a significant improvement in the public finances in the first four months of the year, but Finance Minister Michael Noonan has warned of further tough budgetary measures.

Exchequer figures show the Government was in the red by almost €10bn in the first four months, a worsening of €3bn compared with last year, but accounted for by a payment in March to Anglo and Irish Nationwide.