An Exchequer surplus of €255m was recorded in the first seven months of the year, according to figures from the Department of Finance this evening.
This compares to an Exchequer deficit of €241m at the same time last year.
Tax receipts for the seven months to the end of July amounted to €19.6bn, up from €17.4bn the same time last year.
Income tax increased by 24% to €5.6bn in the seven month period from €4.5bn the same time in 2003. Stamp duty is up to €1.1bn from €937m in 2003.
Capital gains tax jumped 202% to €523m from €173m.
Current spending increased to €17.5bn from €16.6bn in July 2003, slightly below Budget forecasts.
The Central Bank summer bulletin, released last week, said the Exchequer deficit for the year as a whole could be €1.3bn lower than the €2.8bn projected in December's Budget.
