Strong VAT numbers from the pre-Christmas sales period helped boost the Government’s tax take last month.
Exchequer returns for the month – the payment month for VAT collected in November and December - show the VAT take was just over 10% higher than the same period last year.
VAT brought in €2.3 billion, which was €214m more than the same month in 2016.
This accounts for most of the €272m year-on-year increase in January tax revenue.
Total tax revenue for the month was €4.76m, which was 6.1% ahead of the corresponding period last year.
Combined non-tax revenue and capital resources were €980m, bringing total revenue to €5.75 billion.
This represents an annual increase of 2.2% (€123m).
Overall, total net voted expenditure to end-January 2017, at €3.8 billion, was up 4.8% or €173m in year-on-year terms.
This is primarily due to the timing of a €100m payment from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to the Local Government Fund.
Commenting on the figures, tax partner at Grant Thornton Peter Vale said: "At this point, it is our view that the strong corporation tax receipts witnessed in 2016 will be replicated in 2017, with a shift in corporate profits away from offshore havens to onshore locations such as Ireland partly driving that.
"Strong employment figures would suggest that income tax receipts will also increase in 2017.
"The biggest perceived risk in terms of sustainability was arguably VAT, with consumer concerns around Brexit in particular expected to see spending and resultant VAT receipts come under pressure.
"Hence it is particularly encouraging to see VAT get off to such a strong start, auguring well for the year ahead."
