Government spending for the seven months to July is now 22 per cent ahead of the same period last year, according to figures released by the Department of Finance today.
The figures show spending at €17.3 billion up from €14.8 billion in 2001 and still well ahead of Government targets.
The figures will lend weight to claims by the Oppoistion parties that Government spending is out of control.
The exchequer surplus for the period dropped to €1.78 billion compared with €3.79 billion for the same period last year.
However, the figure is still ahead of analysts' expectations, which had forecast a surplus of €1.2 billion.
Government income was €19.0 billion for the period, up from €18.6 billion last year.
Despite expectations of a fall in tax receipts, revenue from taxes increased to €17.0 billion from €16.9 last year thanks in the main to large corporation tax payments in July. Income tax receipts are down 11.6 per cent compared with last year.
The government contributed €639 million to the EU budget during the period, almost unchanged on the year. Election expenses for the period rose from €5.49 million to €14.95 million.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/518d93d3-f26f-4914-9ae0-93b67a60d484.png)