asked the Minister for Finance the percentage of total taxation revenue for each year from 1962 to 1967 inclusive which was derived from indirect taxation; and if he will make a statement on the considerably higher proportion of revenue so derived in Ireland than in comparable European economies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Yield of Indirect Taxation.
17.
As the answer includes a tabular statement I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the information:
The percentage of total taxation revenue for each year from 1961-62 to 1967-68, inclusive, which was derived from indirect taxation was as follows:
|
Year |
Per Cent. |
|
1961-62 |
67.7 |
|
1962-63 |
65.3 |
|
1963-64 |
64.5 |
|
1964-65 |
65.2 |
|
1965-66 |
64.4 |
|
1966-67 |
64.9 |
|
1967-68 |
64.5 |
As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the Deputy to what the Minister for Finance said on taxation policy in his recent Financial Statement in connection with the Budget of 1968—See Dáil Debates, vol. 234, No. 1, cols. 67 to 69.
In spite of what the Minister said, does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that 68.7 per cent is indirect taxation in this country and the next highest is Britain with 46.4 per cent and Europe has Denmark with 49.3 per cent? Could he explain?
I think the Deputy's figures are wrong.
They are not wrong. They are taken from the Survey of Europe 1965, Part 2, so they must be right or they would have been corrected by somebody by now.
I have the percentage figures here in the reply. They are being circulated with the Official Report.
We will take it up again.