Written Answers. - Tax Amnesty.
Michael McDowell
Question:
48
Mr. M. McDowell
asked the
Minister for Finance
the appointments, if any, that have been made under the tax amnesty legislation with regard to special collectors and other assistants; the number of queries that have been handled to date; the proportion of these that relate to money held overseas; and if he will give an estimate of the possible receipt expected.
Proinsias De Rossa
Question:
50
Proinsias De Rossa
asked the
Minister for Finance,
in respect of each of the amnesties under the Waiver of Certain Tax, Interest and Penalties Act, 1993, the number of inquiries received to date by the Revenue Commissioners, the number of declarations made to date, and the total number and value of payments made to date.
Ivan Yates
Question:
91
Mr. Yates
asked the
Minister for Finance
the moneys received to date under both tax amnesties; and the forecasts for the total yield under this amnesty.
I propose to take Question Nos. 48, 50 and 91 together.
I understand that there has been a much higher level of inquiries than normal about amounts of tax outstanding as well as a considerable volume of questions seeking clarification of various aspects of the amnesty scheme.
However, I would point out that the scheme is still very much at a preliminary stage of implementation. In the case of the 15 per cent incentive amnesty taxpayers have until 30 November, 1993 to submit declarations of income and gains for the purposes of the amnesty, and have until 14 January, 1994 to make actual payments. Similarly in the case of the general amnesty for interest and penalties, payment can be made up to 14 January next. Going by the experience of the 1988 amnesty the bulk of payments are likely to emerge only very close to the cut-off date. Therefor the overall results will not be available until after that date.
As Deputies are aware, special confidentiality arrangements apply to the 15 per cent incentive amnesty which is administered by the Office of the Chief Special Collector. Consistent with the guarantees of confidentiality the legislation provides that I may obtain certain information only and this is in the form of aggregates only. This information relates to the total amount of the declared amounts, the total amount of settlement amounts, the total amount of value-added tax remitted to the Chief Special Collector and the total numbers of individuals who remitted amounts to the Chief Special Collector. I will be seeking the information on declarations provided for by the legislation after the cut-off date of 30 November and the other information mentioned at the appropriate juncture.
In the meantime, I am not in a position to provide the specific information requested by Deputies. If Deputies wish to put down a question after 30 November of course, I will, then be happy to supply them with the information available on declared amounts under the incentive amnesty.
In these circumstances there is no reliable basis which would enable a forecast of the possible overall yield under the amnesty to be made at this stage.
As regards the Office of the Chief Special Collector, nine special collectors have been nominated to date under the legislation, one of whom has been designated as the Chief Special Collector.
