It's been confirmed that the tax take for the first 11 months of the year is almost €3 billion ahead of target.

The booming exchequer returns come after a huge surge in corporation tax, most of which should be repeated next year.

Michael Noonan says the figures include tax receipts for November which are €470 million ahead of target, which will be officially unveiled this afternoon.

The good figures mean the state will probably be able to stop borrowing in 2017 - a year ahead of schedule.

However the news comes on the same day as the health service is given a so-called 'supplementary estimate' - in reality, a bailout - of €665 million.

Sources denied that there was a cash crisis in the service, and said the money would instead go towards covering services that have already been delivered, like free GP care and payments to survivors of symphysiotomy.

Today's news means the government has now sanctioned €1.2 billion in extra end-of-year spending for state agencies and departments, with more potentially to follow.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News: