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European Union finance ministers have given France two more years to cut the deficit to the 3% limit

France cuts 2015 budget deficit target

France's public sector deficit should be narrower than initially forecast this year after the country's finances fared better than expected in 2014, its finance minister said today.

Business • 26 Mar 15

France's debt to GDP ratio is to peak at 133% this year

EU gives France until 2017 to cut budget deficit

The European Commission has granted France until 2017 to bring its budget deficit below the EU limit of 3% of GDP after Paris missed an already extended 2015 deadline.

Business • 25 Feb 15

Switzerland has recorded a 2.4bn franc shortfall in tax revenue

Switzerland sees first budget deficit in a decade

The Swiss government said it suffered its first federal budget deficit in nearly a decade last year following a surprise 9% drop in key sources of tax revenue.

Business • 11 Feb 15

Goodbody's predicts strong Irish economic growth again this year

Ireland set for growth of 4% in 2015: stockbrokers

Ireland is set to be the fastest growing economy in the EU for a second consecutive year in 2015, according to Goodbody stockbrokers.

Business • 12 Jan 15

Euro zone's seasonally adjusted exports rose by 4.2% compared to a month earlier to €171.9 billion.

Euro zone exports rebound in September

The euro zone trade surplus widened in September, with a rise in exports offering rare good news for an embattled European economy that is worrying the world.

Business • 17 Nov 14

Ireland's growth rate is expected to be 4.6% this year, compared to an EU average of 1.3%

Ireland set to top euro zone growth table

Ireland will be the fastest growing economy in the European Union this year, according to the European Commission's autumn economic forecast.

Business • 04 Nov 14

Estimates suggest this year's deficit will by 3.7% of GDP, falling to 2.4% next year

Budget deficit expected to be well below target

The pre-Budget estimates of receipts and expenditures project a Government deficit of 2.4% next year, well below its target.

News • 13 Oct 14

The US government's deficit was $486bn in the year to 30 September - down almost $200bn from last year

US budget deficit falls below 3% of GDP

The US budget deficit fell to 2.8% of the economy's output in fiscal year 2014, as government revenues rose sharply, official data has shown.

Business • 08 Oct 14

Central Bank predicts that GDP will expand by 4.5% in 2014

Central Bank eyes GDP growth of 4.5% for this year

The Central Bank has nearly doubled its prediction for economic growth this year, largely due to a higher than expected level of exports.

Business • 03 Oct 14

The Exchequer deficit stood at €5.96bn by the end of September - compared to €7.14bn a year ago

Tax take €700m ahead of target by September

Exchequer returns for the first nine months of the year show the State has taken in over €700m more than expected in the last Budget, an improvement of 2.5%.

Business • 03 Oct 14

France had promised EU partners it would bring its deficit below 3% by next year

Crisis-hit France eyes gradual deficit reduction

The French government unveiled its 2015 budget today, setting out how it would bring its public deficit to within EU limits two years later than planned.

Business • 01 Oct 14

The council said the planned €2bn adjustment should come from a mix of tax rises and spending cuts

Govt urged to maintain prudent budgetary stance

The Fiscal Advisory Council has urged the Government to stick to plans for tax rises and spending cuts in the Budget, despite an improving economic situation and stronger tax revenues.

News • 22 Sep 14

France has conceded that it now will take until 2017 to bring its finances in line with EU rules

France breaks 2015 deficit-cutting promise

France said today that it was breaking the latest in a long line of promises to European Union partners to cut its public deficit.

Business • 10 Sep 14

Fitch still confident Portugal will hit deficit targets

Portugal to hit deficit targets despite ruling

Portugal is still expected to cut its budget deficit to 4% of economic output this year, even after the country's top court rejected some austerity measures, Fitch said.

Business • 19 Aug 14

French economy set to grow by 1% this year, rising to 1.7% next year and to 2.25% in 2016 and 2017

France lays out reforms to respect EU rules

France laid out a new economic programme to respect EU budget rules and curb public spending, while boosting growth and employment.

Business • 23 Apr 14

Light at the end of the tunnel for Greek economy?

Greece sees higher budget surplus

Greece more than doubled its forecast for a budget surplus before interest payments this year.

Business • 21 Nov 13

George Osborne says more action to cut costs needed in the UK

Osborne says growth alone won't fix UK deficit

Britain's finance minister vowed to stick to the path of austerity, saying economic recovery on its own would not be enough to fix the budget deficit .

Business • 22 Oct 13

Irish deficit stood at 8.2% in 2012 - the third biggest deficit in the EU

Ireland has third biggest deficit in EU

Ireland had the third biggest deficit in the EU last year at 8.2%, new figures from Europe show.

Business • 22 Oct 13

Government debt fell from 117.4% to 104.1% of GDP between 2011 and 2012

Government deficit fell to 8.2% of GDP in 2012

The Government recorded a deficit of €13.5 billion in 2012, which amounted to 8.2% of GDP.

Business • 14 Oct 13

Jack O'Connor said SIPTU was opposed to doing 'one cent more than the absolute minimum' to secure the 5.1% deficit

SIPTU in warning over deficit targets

SIPTU has warned it will pursue private sector wage increases if the Government reduces the deficit below the target for next year required under the Troika's bailout plan.

News • 08 Oct 13

Ministers Michael Noonan and Brendan Howlin were speaking after the publication of the latest Exchequer returns

Budget adjustment less than €3.1bn - Noonan

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said the adjustment in Budget 2014 would be less than €3.1 billion, as Exchequer returns show the State's tax revenues are on target.

Business • 02 Oct 13

The French government will take advantage of a 2 year extension of the EU deadline in which to hit deficit reduction targets

France revises deficit reduction forecasts

France has revised its public deficit forecasts.

Business • 11 Sep 13

Greece reports primary surplus of €2.6 billion for the months between January and July

Greece beating budget targets so far this year

Greece is beating its budget targets by a wide margin so far this year, although the country is still deep in recession.

Business • 12 Aug 13

Department of Finance figures show a considerable improvement on the Budget 2013 deficit forecast of 8.2%

Government deficit for 2012 comes in at 7.6%

The Government's deficit for 2012 came in at 7.6% of GDP, beating the Troika target of 8.6%.

Business • 22 Apr 13

Britain's deficit figures were cushioned by a Bank of England cash transfer and 4G licence sale

Smaller-than-expected February deficit in Britain

Britain had a far smaller-than-expected deficit in February and retail sales got a boost, according to data released today, a fillip for finance minister George Osborne a day after he released dismal economic forecasts.

Business • 21 Mar 13

Deficit