Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2005
45 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the response received to date by the Revenue Commissioners to the letters sent by ten top banks to approximately 120,000 customers warning them to regularise their tax affairs by the end of March, 2004; the number of responses received; the amount collected to date; the number of such cases that have been finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2476/05]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that precise figures are not available as to the number of letters which issued from the financial institutions. It is understood to be in excess of 100,000. It is not known how many accounts or individuals this represents because some individuals had accounts in different banks or in different branches of the same bank. In other instances there was more than one name on the account.
The Revenue Commissioners have advised that, following the issue of the letters by the financial institutions, written responses were received from approximately 25,000 persons. Of these, approximately 15,000 responses indicated that a statement of disclosure would be made and to date payment has been received from in excess of 11,500 cases. The difference is accounted for by duplicate notices received by Revenue at the time of the initial deadline of the 29 March 2004; cases where the taxpayer subsequently indicated that no liability to tax arose; a small number of cases where assets are being disposed of to meet the liability owing or where there is an inability to pay and cases where no further communication has been received from the taxpayer. Where appropriate, inquiries are continuing in such cases.
On the balance of the 10,000 written submissions received, these individuals were notified that on the basis of the submission received, a statement of disclosure was not required. I am also advised that a further 5,000 persons, approximately, phoned the Revenue Commissioners and, on the basis on the information provided, most were advised that a written response was not required.
To date the total amount collected by the Revenue Commissioners from their offshore investigation is in excess of €717 million. Details of amounts collected in respect of this, and other special investigations, are regularly updated on Revenue's website www.revenue.ie.
