Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on the Exchequer returns for the first two months of 2006. [12373/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the monthly Exchequer returns are available on my Department's website, as are my Department's receipts, expenditure and debt service profiles for 2006. The results for the first two months of 2006 confirm that the public finances remain sound. There was an Exchequer surplus of €2,415 million at end-February.

Tax receipts to end-February at €7,310 million were up 19.4 per cent on the same period last year and were €77 million or 1.1% ahead of profile. The main excesses over profile were on capital gains tax, €129 million, corporation tax, €91 million, and stamp duty, €40 million, while VAT, income tax and excise were €163 million, €30 million and €12 million below profile, respectively.

Overall Exchequer issues for net voted spending were €5,385 million at end-February compared to €5,161 million for the same period last year, an increase of €224 million or 4.3%. This was €147 million or 2.7% below profile due to lower than expected issues for current spending. Debt service is in line with expectations.