asked the Minister for Finance the amount of income tax collected from farmers in each of the last five years; and the estimated amount for the current year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Income Tax.
25.
The amount of income tax in respect of farming profits collected in each of the years referred to is as follows:
|
Year |
Income Tax |
|
£m |
|
|
1976 |
3.0 |
|
1977 |
7.0 |
|
1978 |
8.0 |
|
1979 |
16.0 |
|
1980 |
25.0 |
|
1981 |
14.5 (estimated) |
Because of a change in the timing of income tax payments, the figure for 1980 represents 1½ years' tax.
Are there any supplementaries on that question?
With the permission of the Chair, could I raise the subject matter of my Question No. 24 on the Adjournment?
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
Does nobody want to ask a supplementary on Question No. 25?
26.
asked the Minister for Finance the number of people in the country, who are estimated to be liable to income tax; the actual number who are paying it; and the estimated loss to the Exchequer due to tax evasion.
The number of persons paying income tax in 1981/82 is estimated to be about 780,000. It is not possible to indicate the number of people who are liable to tax but are not paying it, because tax evasion is, of its very nature, a concealed area of activity. It may be mentioned, however, that 15,000 persons were brought within the taxation system as a result of the operations of the special enquiry units set up by the Revenue Commissioners in 1979 to seek out traders, professional persons and others not on record for tax purposes.
As regards the loss to the Exchequer due to tax evasion, it is not possible to indicate this amount but it is to be noted that, over the last 5 years, the cases dealt with by the investigation branch produced about £10 million. It is estimated that the yield from new cases brought into the tax net will produce £15 million over the next few years.
I was not quite clear on the matter initially and would like clarification. Was the figure of 780,000 the number liable for tax?
No, it was those paying.
So that is the number paying. Thank you.