asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the expenses of the collection of all forms of income tax annually accruing to the State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Income-tax Collection Expenses.
I regret that the information for which the Deputy asks is not available as taxes on income from portion only of the taxes and duties entrusted to the care and management of the Revenue Commissioners and the cost of the Revenue Commissioners' Office is not apportioned over the various items of revenue collected.
I understand that the amount accruing to the State from overall income-tax is something in the neighbourhood of £24,000,000 per annum. Could the Minister give us any idea of what it costs to collect that amount?
No, I cannot, because it is not apportioned. The total collected last year was £94,000,000 in direct and indirect taxation and the cost of collection is 2½ per cent. of the whole. Income-tax may be much cheaper to collect than customs.
Would the Minister be in a position to state the cost of collection of income-tax, surtax and excess corporations profit tax as one entity because they are all collected by a separate division?
That is true.