Ireland tax revenue rose 10.3% in first 10 months of 2026

Ireland's tax revenue rose 10.3% in the first 10 months of 2026 compared with a year earlier, excluding one-off proceeds from a ruling related to Apple back taxes, the finance ministry said on November 4.

Corporate tax paid mainly by a small group of US multinationals has driven overall tax revenue to record levels each year since 2021 and handed the government large budget surpluses to spend and save, the ministry said. Corporate tax receipts were up 23% so far in 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, partly due to early payments that the ministry expects to even out by year-end.

Receipts are forecast to grow by another 5% on an underlying basis in 2026. Income tax and VAT returns were 8% and 7% higher respectively at the end of October, the ministry said.

Government spending was up 7.4% year-on-year by the end of October, the data showed, with expenditure on day-to-day services again growing faster than major planned investments in public infrastructure.