Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the April 2009 Exchequer figures; if he is confident that tax revenue will amount to €34.4 billion for 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18964/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Tax receipts at end-April, at €10.1 billion, are down 24% on the same period last year. This represents 29% of the supplementary budget's forecast of €34.4 billion and is generally in line with the average percentage of the end-year outturn received after four months over recent years.

When looking at the tax revenue figures to end-April it must be borne in mind that the revenue-raising measures announced in the supplementary budget will improve revenues as the year progresses. In addition, there will be a positive base effect upon year-on-year comparisons as 2009 progresses due to the fact that tax revenues worsened during the course of 2008. In overall terms at this stage, based on the current assessment for the economy, my Department still expects that tax revenues will amount to about €34.5 billion, which would represent a 15.5% decline on last year's outturn.

That said, it is still early in the year and, as such, my Department will continue to monitor the situation on an ongoing basis and will report in detail at the mid-year stage in the context of the end-June Exchequer returns press conference.