Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2006
323 Mr. English asked the Minister for Finance the plans he has to introduce a public information campaign to inform the PAYE worker of their entitlements for tax relief on medical expenses, dental expenses, rent and refuse charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26316/06]
View answerI am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that each year all PAYE workers receive in the post a tax credit certificate setting out their entitlements to tax relief according to Revenue's records. A leaflet accompanying the certificate contains information about the main tax credits/reliefs available to PAYE workers (including medical expenses, rent relief and refuse charges) and how to go about claiming them. In addition, Revenue's website provides easy-to-access information on the full range of credits and reliefs available to PAYE taxpayers. The website also prompts PAYE workers to claim their entitlements using a wide range of self-service channels.
I understand that Revenue is currently in the process of issuing an information leaflet to every PAYE taxpayer in the country, containing details of their latest PAYE On-line self service facilities, launched in June 2006. These greatly enhanced services allow taxpayers to do most of their PAYE business on-line, including claiming a wide range of tax credits, claiming a refund of tax including health expenses and changing their personal details. The leaflet is being issued in a variety of languages, including Chinese, Polish and Lithuanian.
This year, each of the 2 million or so PAYE workers in the country will have individually received direct communication from Revenue first of all about their tax relief entitlements (in the January/February bulk issue of tax credit certificates) and secondly about Revenue's new Internet and telephone self-service options (between June and October), making it as easy as possible, on a 24 hour 365 day basis, to claim tax relief entitlements or a refund. Revenue are doing everything possible to publicise and facilitate PAYE workers in claiming their due entitlements, but the need for any further public information campaign will of course be kept under review.
324 Mr. English asked the Minister for Finance the monetary value of tax relief not claimed by PAYE workers from County Meath on medical expenses, dental expenses, rent charges and refuse charges for each of the years 2002 to date in 2006. [26317/06]
View answerI am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that in the absence of a claim from a taxpayer, Revenue has no way of knowing that an individual is entitled to an additional tax credit. There is, therefore, no basis on which the monetary value of unclaimed tax reliefs can be determined.
I would add, however, that procedures for allowing some of the more significant credits/reliefs to PAYE workers have been automated and streamlined over recent years either through the introduction of Tax Relief at Source (TRS), where this has proved feasible, or through the Automatic Carry Forward (ACF) of certain recurring reliefs. For example, Mortgage Interest Relief and Medical Insurance Relief are now provided at source through the taxpayer obtaining a reduction in repayments or premiums equivalent to the tax relief. Certain recurring reliefs, like those for trade union subscriptions and service charges, once claimed, are generally allowed on an ongoing basis and re-appear each year in the taxpayer's certificate of tax credits. In the case of non-recurring reliefs involving variable amounts, such as Medical Expenses, it is up to each individual taxpayer concerned to claim his or her entitlements, as Revenue has no other way of ascertaining what these are. I understand that regular claimants of Medical Expenses relief are automatically sent a Med 1 claim form by Revenue.
In February 2005, Revenue launched a range of new self-service options for PAYE taxpayers, using the Internet, mobile text messaging or touchtone phone to claim, for example, tax relief for service charges and Trade Union subscriptions or to request claim forms. These facilities were widely advertised in the media and were included in the information leaflets issued with the Tax Credit Certificates for 2005 and 2006. Additional self-service channels were introduced at the beginning of June this year, including a full Internet service "PAYE On-Line". PAYE workers can now access their Revenue records over the Internet, request a balancing statement and claim or amend their tax credit and personal details. Full details of how to access these services are available on Revenue's website www.revenue.ie. I understand that Revenue is in the process of issuing a comprehensive information leaflet about these new on-line services to every PAYE taxpayer in the country.
