Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2013
146. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Finance if additional staff have been assigned to audit, investigation and compliance tasks in the Revenue Commissioners since the commissioners' comprehensive expenditure review in 2011, which stated that additional staffing in these areas could yield up to €100 million per year in additional income. [27119/13]
View answerThe Revenue Commissioners have advised me that no additional staff have been assigned to audit, investigation and compliance tasks since 2011. The Revenue Commissioners are subject to the Employment Control Framework staffing reductions imposed since 2009. Revenue’s overall staffing levels have reduced from a total of 6,581 full time equivalents (FTE) at the end of 2008, to 5,962 (FTE) at the end of 2011, to its current level of 5,767 (FTE). Notwithstanding this reduction of 814 (FTE), Revenue staff resources assigned to audit, investigation and compliance activities have been maintained at around 2,000. The Revenue Commissioners have accorded a very high priority to compliance activity. They are committed to ensuring that, despite the staff reductions, this work will continue to be resourced to the maximum extent possible.
