Dan Boyle
Ceist:110 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Finance his views on the most recent set of Exchequer returns; and his further views on whether budget targets on Government spending are being maintained. [14667/03]
Written Answers. - Tax Yield.
Tax receipts in the first four months of the year were 5.6% higher than the same period of 2002. This compares with a budget day target of 8% for the year as a whole. At end April 2003, the Revenue Commissioners net receipts were €104 million, 1.2% below profile. Public spending to end-April was within profile. The revised Estimates for public services, REV, published last February provided that net voted spending on services will be 6.7% more than provided in 2002. Year-on-year net voted expenditure to end-April was 8.2% higher than the same period in 2002. The Government is committed to achieving its expenditure targets and I have put in place management and control mechanisms to ensure this. As I said in my press statement of 2 April on the end-quarter Exchequer returns, there are some spending pressures emerging but it is up to each Department to manage within its 2003 allocations.