I welcome the recently published report of the Revenue Commissioners for 2003. The report indicates that the Revenue Commissioners are making significant progress on many fronts, including the special investigations referred to by Deputy Burton.
As regards the €1.52 billion raised as a result of these investigations, it is important to note that €596 million was the amount received to date. The remainder is reflected in the budgetary arithmetic for earlier years and served to improve the Exchequer balance in the years in which the relevant amounts arose. With regard to the amounts received this year, and how any additional amounts forecast may be used, it is important to recognise that such receipts are once-off in nature and cannot be treated as ordinary or ongoing resources. This fact has been recognised in the past when such once-off receipts from, for example, tax amnesties or the sale of State assets, have been used mainly to meet liabilities with no recurring costs such as reducing our debt burden or providing for future pension needs. Reductions in debt lead to interest savings which provide leeway to meet the Government's tax and expenditure targets in future years.
I have no specific plans, at this time, for legislative changes arising directly from the 2003 annual report of the Revenue Commissioners. However, general legislative provisions governing the tax system are considered annually in the context of the Finance Bill. In addition, my Department and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners are examining the recommendations contained in the report of the Revenue powers group which reported to me last November. I will consider those recommendations in the context of the forthcoming Finance Bill.
Administrative changes are primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. At this time, I am not aware of any planned administrative changes arising directly from the recent annual report, but administrative procedures are kept under regular review by the Revenue Commissioners.