asked the Minister for Finance the number of civil servants in the offices of the Revenue Commissioners (a) before and (b) a year after the installation of a computer in that Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Revenue Commission Staff.
49.
A computer was installed in the income tax collection branch of the Revenue Commissioners during the year 1963-64.
The total number of civil servants employed by the Revenue Commissioners in 1962-63 and 1964-65 was 2,955 and 3,196 respectively.
However, these particular numbers have little relevance to the computer, as it is used in a particular area for particular work—mainly the collection of income tax. The computer is installed in the central collection branch and the number of civil servants there increased from 135 in 1962-63 to 198 in 1964-65. This increase in numbers would of course have been much greater were it not for the introduction of the computer. For, over the three years concerned, a vast expansion of work took place in the central collection branch. For instance, the number of taxpayers jumped from 290,000 in 1962-63 to 400,000 in 1964-65. These years also saw the introduction of the system of "one taxpayer one charge" and the advent of the turnover tax.
The operations incidental to these developments could not have been undertaken manually without an immense increase in staff. Indeed, the "one taxpayer one charge" system could scarcely have been operated manually at all.
Has the Minister asked for any explanation from his advisers who said that the introduction of a computer would reduce the number of civil servants required in the Revenue Commissioners whereas in the light of experience, it has increased?
In effect, it has reduced them in so far as it has not permitted them to increase.
A reversal of Parkinson's Law.
Would the Minister consider providing extra accommodation for the extra civil servants?