asked the Minister for Finance what amount of turnover tax was paid in the year 1969-70 in respect of the turnover of coin-operated gambling machines.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gambling Machines.
27.
Turnover tax is payable monthly in one sum by registered persons on their total receipts from taxable activities. No breakdown of the totals is required by reference to particular aspects of these activities and consequently it is not possible to state the amount of turnover tax derived from coin-operated gambling machines.
When this matter came up at Question Time a couple of weeks ago the Minister instructed me to put down a question to get this information.
I do not recall the precise circumstances but I have no doubt if I said that it was because I was asked for information which I did not have. I probably suggested that the Deputy put down another question, but, now that he has put down another question, I have looked into the matter and I have found the information is simply not available.
Has the Minister no information about the scale of this type of gambling in this country?
I have already told the Deputy that we have not received details of the turnover tax receipts which would indicate the extent of this activity.
Is the Minister aware that it has been estimated to be of the order of £3 million to £4 million? Failure to tax it except by way of turnover tax is an undesirable loophole in our gambling tax legislation. Will the Minister take steps to estimate the amount of this turnover and then consider it as a fruitful source of future taxation?
Any question of future sources of taxation does not arise at present but is under constant review.