Vol. 282 No. 6
Cavan): I move:
That a sum not exceeding £19,586,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 1975, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, including certain other services administered by that Office.
I should like to ask a question with regard to the matter of office accommodation for finance staff throughout the country where a problem exists with regard to proper facilities. In fact, strike action is pending in one instance.
There is the question of the threatened strike in the office of Revenue Commissioners.
(Cavan): All I can say is that this question is ever under consideration by the Office of Public Works who are responsible for the matter. I have no detailed information on it to give the Deputy at the moment.
Is the Minister personally aware of the conditions these staff have to work in throughout the country?
(Cavan): I am not personally aware of them but I am aware that there are many complaints.
Can the Minister tell us what action has been taken by the Department to resolve this problem so that the situation will not arise in which the staff have to threaten and, in fact, take strike action?
(Cavan): The Office of Public Works are responsible for this. They are striving all the time to improve the position in the various towns and in the capital city. They are fully aware of the situation.
Can the Minister say when the new accommodation for Roinn na Gaeltachta in Na Forbacha will be completed?
(Cavan): I would prefer the Deputy to put that question to the Minister for the Gaeltacht or the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance.
If I did he might indicate that this is a matter for the Minister for Finance.
(Cavan): I will ask the Minister for Finance to communicate with the Deputy.
Can the Minister say whether any additional staff have been recruited and, if so, can he give any particulars? Can he say whether there are plans to recruit additional staff in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners for the purposes of the administration of the capital taxes?
I thought Deputy Colley was worried about why the accommodation in this office had not become any smaller over the years and was able to accommodate the same number of people.
That is a bit involuted or convoluted.
(Cavan): Further staff will have to be taken on.
Can the Minister give any indication of the numbers or when they are likely to be recruited?
(Cavan): No. To some extent that depends on the Deputy and myself.
That might be leaving it a bit late.
Are the Revenue Commissioners experiencing any difficulty in the collection of PAYE and VAT on the proper date?
(Cavan): None that I am aware of. There is always some delay but as far as my information goes there is no unusual or undue delay.
There is a big number of prosecutions every other day.
