Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the predicted level of total voted current expenditure and total tax revenue on a monthly basis for each of the past five years; the actual level and the deviation between the two; and the same data for each month to date in 2007. [27696/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2003 expenditure profiles are published annually on the Department of Finance website. The actual amount of expenditure issued is published as part of the end month exchequer material. Set out below are tables for each year that compare the published profile of net voted current expenditure with the actual amounts issued from the Exchequer on a monthly basis since 2003. Prior to 2003, my Department did not publish expenditure profiles, therefore, the tables below include an unpublished net voted current expenditure profile for 2002. The disparities between the two columns reflect, inter alia, adjustments to the Estimates of expenditure (as originally profiled in January of each year) in the context of the Revised Estimates, which are published in February or March, and Supplementary Estimates that may be passed by the Dáil in the course of the year.

Since 2003 my Department has published tax profiles. Also on a monthly basis the actual amount of tax Revenue received is published in the end-month Exchequer statement.

In considering the Tax Revenue information it is important to note that tax profiles prior to 2004 are only available on a Revenue net receipts basis. Net receipts figures differ from Exchequer receipts due to timing and cash flow issues. To aid comparability, the 2002 and 2003 profile figures have been adjusted downwards by the amount of the receipts from certain excise duties on tobacco products collected by the Revenue Commissioners and paid by way of Appropriations-in-Aid to the Vote for Health and Children (€168 million) as this is the major numerical difference between Exchequer and Net Receipts figures. 2002 and 2003 profiles also exclude other small Levies.

From 2004 onwards all tax figures are on an Exchequer basis which does not include the Tobacco Levy.