Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

This year's budget, announced last December, provided for an Exchequer deficit of €5 billion. By July, the Government was talking about a deficit of €8 billion. In early September, it revised that Estimate to €10 billion. According to the most recent briefings, the deficit might reach €12 billion. The Exchequer returns to be published today are the last returns we will get before December's budget. When will the Government announce its final end-of-year tax predictions on the basis of which the budget will be framed? The Minister for Finance has indicated that the House will have a chance to examine the tax predictions in advance of the budget. When will they be produced?

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