Vol. 539 No. 2
45 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Finance the proposed role of the new prosecutions division within the Revenue Commissioners; the staff and resources which will be allocated to the division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19060/01]
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that, as part of their major review of internal structures, they examined the existing arrangements for the investigation by Revenue officers of serious tax evasion, with a view to prosecution, which were put in place in late 1996. These arrangements have facilitated a more active prosecution policy with an increasing number of cases being referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions and subsequently reaching the courts. Since 1996, a total of 13 convictions have been handed down by the courts in tax evasion cases. In the past year, two of those convicted received jail sentences. There are currently three cases before the courts and summonses are about to be issued in three others.
Last year, as a result of the internal review, it was decided that further progress could best be achieved by the establishment of a new Revenue prosecution division. This was endorsed in the report of the steering group established by me as a result of a recommendation of the Committee of Public Accounts in its first report on the DIRT inquiry. A project team to design the new division was recently established and is now working on it. I understand that their work will be completed over the next few months and that it is intended to have the division in operation before the end of this year. The new division will co-ordinate all prosecution activity undertaken by Revenue and will be responsible for further developing the approach to prosecution of cases of serious evasion of taxes and duties. This will allow the expertise and experience in Revenue to be harnessed to greatest effect in progressing the aim of bringing more cases before the courts. I am informed that it is too early to indicate the numbers of staff which will be allocated to the division but the Revenue Commissioners have indicated that it will be adequately resourced with staff with appropriate skills and experience and will have ongoing legal expertise available to it.
