The exchequer surplus for the first three months of the year was £1.15 billion, compared with £1.01 billion in the same period last year.
This 9% increase is below the forecast of 12.5%, but the Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy said it was not clear yet what the impact of the foot and mouth crisis would be on the exchequer situation.
'Foot and Mouth will of course have an impact on the public fiannces; but the magnitude of this impact will clearly depend on the future course of the disease and whether is has a significant impact on consumer and investor confidence,' said the Minister.
In a statement the Minister said the somewhat weaker performance resulted from a poor performance in some tax areas, particularly excise, which declined 8.3% on last year.
Tax inflows so far stand at £5.04 billion - 24% of the budget day target. Total voted current expediture for the period was £3.6 billion, 21.5% more than the £2.96 from last year.
Net voted capital expenditure was £504m, a 39% increase on last year, mainly due to extra spending on Environment and Local Government (£100m), Health and Children (£34m), and Education (£19m).
The exchequer has £378m in capital resources, with a £254m contribution from the sale of ICC Bank.
'The Government is satisfied that the economy has the capacity to withstand the foot and mouth difficulties and to continue to grow strongly over the period ahead,' said Minister McCreevy.
