Income tax,corporation tax and VAT receipts were higher than expected.
The 12-month rolling exchequer deficit stands at 12.3 billion euro to the end of June.
Total tax revenue in the first half of the year was 29.5 billion, which is 5 per cent higher than forecast.
Income tax,corporation tax and VAT receipts were also higher than expected.
But spending, at just under 40 billion euro, is 4 per cent less below forecasts.

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