Vol. 410 No. 3
26 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the evidence given at a recent meeting of the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts by the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners that tax arrears had increased since the last tax amnesty, he has any plans for improvements to the system so as to ensure the collection of a greater proportion of taxes due; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the recent meeting of the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts referred to in the question had under consideration the 1989 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Appropriation Accounts in so far as they relate to Vote 9, Office of the Revenue Commissioners.
The meeting considered at length paragraph 13 of the report, which contains detailed schedules relating to the assessment and collection of taxes and the collection of PRSI, health contributions, employment and training levy and income levy. A printed copy of the report is available in the Oireachtas Library.
The schedules in question show an improvement in the figures for the total balances outstanding and the amounts likely to be collected as estimated at 31 May 1990 compared with similar estimates provided in the corresponding schedules for the previous two years.
The evidence given by the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners did not indicate or suggest that the arrears had increased since the amnesty. I am also informed that the improvement in the collection position since the amnesty can largely be attributed to various measures put in place at that time and still in place.
Notwithstanding this improvement, I sanctioned on budget day the allocation to the Revenue Commissioners of £1 million in additional resources to enable them to launch a further initiative against tax defaulters.
