Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will change the time of the budget as the current timing is just three weeks before Christmas and it stops the flow of revenue during the Christmas period as persons are concerned by the effect of the budget on their disposable income. [36629/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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November is the most important month of the year in terms of tax revenue collection, with significant amounts of revenue due from income tax, corporation tax and VAT. The tax revenue profile published in the early days of February this year estimated that almost €51⁄2 billion or close to 16 per cent of the total Budget day tax revenue forecast of €34.9 billion would be collected this month. It is important to a have sense of the outturn for tax revenues and indeed for expenditure in the month of November before finalising the Budget. It is primarily for this reason that the Budget is usually presented to the Dáil in early December. This year the Budget will be presented on Tuesday, 6th December.