Ivor Callely
Question:126 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Finance the number of people who paid, and the revenue yield from, benefit-in-kind in respect of the private use of company cars for each of the years from 1987 to 1992 inclusive.
Written Answers. - Benefit in Kind on Company Cars.
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that to determine accurately the precise information requested by the Deputy would require identification of the cases involved and an individual examination of all the income tax returns of such cases. Such an examination could only be carried out at a disproportionate cost.
The only relevant statistics which are available indicate that some 40,000 to 45,000 cases are taxed annually on benefit in kind in respect of the availability for private use of business cars.
It is tentatively estimated that the yield from taxing the benefit associated with the availability for private use of an employer-provided car had been of the order of £30 million to £35 million annually over the period from 1987 to 1991 inclusive.
It is further estimated that, following the changes contained in the Finance Act, 1992, the yield in 1992 was of the order of £45 million to £50 million.