Ireland records 1.1 billion euro deficit in January

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland recorded a budget deficit of 1.1 billion euros in January compared with a 700 million euro temporary surplus a year ago that followed the sale of debt in a part state-owned bank.

Tax revenues in January were down 17 percent year-on-year, but the finance department said that, if one-off tax payments of a year ago and technical delays to tax payments were excluded, tax revenues would be 5 percent higher than a year ago.

The finance ministry said last week that tax receipts would fall temporarily due to the introduction of the new Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), but that this would not affect the tax forecast for the year.

The government has said it expects its deficit to fall to 4.8 percent of gross domestic product in 2014 from around 7 percent last year.

Government departments spent 3.8 percent more in January than a year ago, the statement said.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Kevin Liffey)