Cumulative income tax receipts to end-August are down, on a year-on-year basis, by 1.4 per cent, or €194 million. The highly progressive nature of the income tax system continues to provide some resilience to receipts, but this revenue stream nonetheless suffered a further year-on-year decline in August, falling by 5.7 per cent, or €106 million. Reflecting the fall in personal consumer spending in recent months, VAT is down €2.1 billion to end-August compared to the same period last year, while excise receipts are down €579 million. Corporation tax receipts in the month were up by €100 million on August last year, although August is not a significant month for corporation tax receipts.