Ireland’s Tax Revenue Surges: What It Means for Budget 2026
Ireland’s Exchequer returns to the end of August 2025 show strong fiscal performance, with tax revenues climbing year-on-year. Despite global uncertainties, the Irish economy continues to show resilience—though experts urge caution heading into Budget 2026..
| Category | Amount | Year-on-Year Change |
| Total tax receipts | €62.4 billion | ↑ 4.4% |
| Including Apple tax ruling | €64.1 billion | ↑ 7.3% |
| Income tax | €23.2 billion | ↑ 10.6% |
| Corporation tax | €16.4 billion | ↑ 1.1% |
| VAT | €15.2 billion | ↑ 4.8% |
| Gross voted expenditure | €68.6 billion | ↑ 7.8% |
| Exchequer surplus | €3.2 billion | ↓ €0.6 billion |
| Underlying surplus (excl. Apple) | (€0.1 billion) | ↓ €3.9 billion |
Expert Commentary
- Paschal Donohoe: Today’s figures have provided a reminder of the vulnerability in our corporation tax base, with a steep fall this month – while this had been anticipated after a very strong August last year, corporation tax is now only marginally ahead of 2024.
- Jack Chambers: The Exchequer return figures for August show expenditure of €68.6 billion. Spending has increased by 7.8 per cent on this time last year. One of the clearest examples is in housing, where capital investment has increased by 30 per cent over 2024 levels. We need to ensure the momentum to tackle the housing challenge is sustained and that we deliver long-term solutions.
What This Means
Ireland’s fiscal position remains strong, but rising expenditures and global risks mean Budget 2026 may balance growth with caution.
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