asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that casual workers frequently encounter great delay in obtaining the refund of excess tax paid; and if he will take steps to remedy this situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Income Tax Refunds.
20.
I am not aware that casual workers frequently encounter great delay in obtaining refunds of tax. Where applications for these refunds are accompanied by the necessary supporting documents they are dealt with promptly.
Where, however, these documents do not accompany the claims it is not possible to make refunds until such time as the neeessary documentation is produced. This may involve correspondence but every effort is made to deal with the matter as quickly as possible.
If there is a particular case which the Deputy has in mind I shall be glad to look into it, if he will give me the details.
Would the Minister consider a delay of four months unduly long in this instance?
In what instance?
In the case I have mentioned it was four months from the time the man left work.
In the case to which the Deputy has referred, was all the documentation supplied?
It was a case where the man was requested three or four times for the same information, which he supplied on each occasion. Subsequent to his supplying the information he was written to and again requested for the information. He did not get the refund for four months.
If that were true I would consider it quite indefensible, but I do not for one moment believe it is true. If the Deputy is referring to a particular case in which he made representations, the facts are not as he has stated now. If he is referring to another case I should like to have details.
It is the same in every Department.