Government revenue is the money the government receives to pay for public services. There are two main types of government revenue:
Current revenue – recurring income that continues to be earned over time. Capital revenue – non-recurring income often received as a once-off.
1. Current Revenue
Current revenue is income the government collects on a recurring or continuous basis. It forms the main source of funding for everyday public services.
Source Tax
Fees & Charges
State Companies
Meaning
Money collected from people and businesses
Examples PAYE, VAT, Corporation Tax
Payments made for public services Passport fees Driving test fees
Profits from government-owned companies
2. Capital Revenue
Capital revenue is a source of one-off income the government receives occasionally, so it may not recur. It is used to fund large projects and major investments.
Sources of Capital Revenue Source
Meaning EU Grants
Sale of State Assets
Long-Term Borrowing
EU funding that does not have to be repaid, which helps pay for large infrastructure projects
Selling land, buildings, or the privatisation of a state asset.
Money borrowed from banks or investors that must be repaid with interest
Any profits made by ESB, An Post, Irish Rail
Examples
EU Grant for a new motorway
Selling government land Government bonds
Privatisation is the sale of a state-owned asset to private investors. For example, the government owned Aer Lingus and privatised it in 2006.
KEYWORDS 341
STRAND 3 CHAPTER 30: Government revenue and government expenditure