asked the Minister for Finance the total number of income tax payers whose net income is in excess of £2,500.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Income Tax Payers.
18.
As I indicated in my reply to a question by the Deputy on June 28, 1973 (Official Report, Vol. 226, cols. 1509 to 1511) tentative estimates suggest that only about 5 per cent of the total number of tax payers —that is under 40,000 persons—will be affected by the new provisions for obtaining a refund of the increases in social welfare children's allowances through the income tax system. No other estimates are available as to the number of tax payers whose net income is in excess of £2,500.
Would the Minister say, having regard to the fact that Dublin taxpayers would form the major component, why it is not possible to give an approximate figure for the number of those people who live in the greater Dublin area?
The statistical situation is one which the present Government have inherited. I do not pretend to understand why the statistics are not available in a more precise geographical form. The truth is they are not and it would be wrong to stimulate any degree of enmity between city and rural dwellers.
Far be it from me to create any form of enmity between rural and city dwellers. As the majority of the taxpayers live in the city of Dublin I do not see any reason why the figures should not be available.
The Deputy has asked a question today which is concerned with all taxpayers in the country and not with taxpayers in any particular locality.
I am afraid the Minister does not understand my question fully. I am trying to elicit from him information giving an approximate number in respect of Dublin city. Having regard to the number that are in Dublin I do not think it is a number that can be dismissed. It should be available.
I am sure the Deputy is capable of reading the question which he has on the Order Paper. It does not refer to Dublin at all.
It refers to Dublin in so far as the Minister said on a previous occasion that it was not possible to give the figure in respect of Greater Dublin.
I am not asking the questions. I can answer the questions the Deputy asks, but I cannot ask them for him.
Arising from the Minister's reply, the Minister told me a fortnight ago that it was not possible to give the figure in respect of Dublin. Arising from that, I tabled this question today. The logic I was using was that if the Minister could give the figure in respect of Ireland he must be able to give it in respect of Dublin. If the Minister had given that information, this question would not have been tabled.
I am afraid that the Minister's logical mind does not accept that Dublin is Ireland.