asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the number of persons who paid income-tax for each of the years 1948-49, 1949-50 and 1950-51.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Income-Tax Payments.
Income-tax statistics are not compiled in such a manner as to enable the information asked for by the Deputy to be given.
Within recent months, however, a special count of effectively liable taxpayers for the year 1950-51 was made. The number of effectively liable taxpayers for that year was found to be 181,000.
It is estimated that the corresponding figures for the years 1948-49 and 1949-50 were 148,000 and 167,000, respectively.
What is the difficulty in ascertaining the actual number of taxpayers in the State? Surely it should be possible to do that.
I have nothing to add to the answer which I have given. I think it is fairly comprehensive and covers most of the information which the Deputy asks for.
All that I am anxious about is to get the number of people who are evading paying income-tax.
The Deputy had better employ a private sleuth to do that.
I do not think that is a proper answer.