Income tax fuels €2bn increase in State revenue

New figures from the Revenue Commissioners show last year's tax take was up by more than €2bn compared to the previous year.

The 2011 headline results also reveals that the number of prosecutions for serious tax evasion more than doubled.

Some €34bn were gathered by the Exchequer last year, up from €31.7bn in 2010.

The biggest increase was in the area of income tax revenue, which rose from €11.2bn to €13.8bn.

Corporation tax was down and VAT returns dropped from €10.1bn to €9.7bn.

The headline figures also show prosecutions for serious tax evasion rose from six to 16, while seizures of illegal drugs, cannabis, cocaine and heroin soared in value from €6.1m in 2010 to just less than €21m last year.