Extra €2 billion in tax revenue lies behind government’s decision to offer extra support to most vulnerable

Expresso today explains the ‘maths’ involved in the government’s recent decision to give over 1.3 million of the country’s most vulnerable citizens an extra one-off payment (to help with the rising cost of living) of €240. The reason lies in tax revenue, which came in this year €2 billion above the ‘original estimate’. Had the government NOT decided to redistribute 10% of the money (€249 million) it would have put the deficit below 1% (when the goal this year has been 1.5%). The ‘full coffers’ “obliged” the government to give this extra support, says the paper.