* Tax revenues keep falling into March
* PM defends fiscal strategy after S&P criticism
(Adds comments on fiscal reform)
DUBLIN, March 31 (Reuters) - The sharp fall in Ireland's tax receipts in January and February that prompted the holding of an emergency budget next week has continued into March, Prime Minister Brian Cowen said on Tuesday.
Cowen, who made the remarks ahead of detailed exchequer data due on Thursday, defended his determination to deal with the problem in the face of strong criticism of his policies from Standard & Poor's on Monday when it cut Ireland's credit rating.
S&P, which stripped Ireland of its prized 'AAA' rating, said it was concerned a credible long-term fiscal consolidation strategy would not emerge until after the next parliamentary election, which is due in 2012.
Cowen pointed to last October's emergency budget and the further fiscal tightening measures worth 2 billion euros ($2.67 billion) taken last month as evidence of his cabinet's determination to cut the deficit in the deepening recession. "The government has at every opportunity reacted in the face of the deteriorating financial situation," Cowen told parliament. "We'll continue to do that and will do so next week," he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, a Reuters poll showed economists expect the government to miss this year's budget deficit target of 9.5 percent of gross domestic product, despite plans to hike taxes and cut spending in April's mini-budget.
Economists expect a budget gap of 10.8 percent of GDP this year, which they said would reach 12.9 percent in the absence of the measures expected in the April mini-budget, the Reuters poll showed.
Cowen said last week he would aim to be "as close as possible" to a shortfall of 9.5 percent. (Reporting by Andras Gergely; Editing by Andy Bruce)