Tax receipts to the Exchequer hit some €21.5 billion at the end of August, according to the latest figures published by the Department of Finance.
This marks an increase of more than 12 per cent on the same period last year.
State spending at the end of August was running at just under €23 billion for the year, an increase of just 5.7 per cent on the first eight months of 2003.
The Exchequer deficit at the end of August was running at €243 million.
