Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 February 2015
78. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance if he has requested a full report into the Revenue Commissioners investigation to recoup the unpaid taxes, as outlined in the recent International Consortium of Investigative Journalists report on the HSBC Private Bank in Geneva; and if the details of this report will be communicated to Deputies in Dáil Éireann. [8360/15]
View answerMy officials are in close contact with their counterparts in Revenue on this and all other relevant taxation issues and on that basis it is not necessary for me to request a report of the nature described by the Deputy. My replies to his other questions on this issue have set out in detail the Revenue actions taken.
He will be aware that it is a longstanding convention that the Minister for Finance does not intervene in matters involving Revenue and individual taxpayers. In that context I would remind him also of the provision enacted by the Oireachtas in the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 whereby the independence of the Revenue Commissioners in the performance of their functions was enacted in Section 101 of that Act.
Revenue plays a critical role in securing and delivering a significant part of the financial resources required by Government to provide services and facilities for all our citizens. I am satisfied that Revenue approaches the task of securing the collection of the critical taxes and duties payable to the State in an efficient manner.
