Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
337. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the Revenue Commissioners or any other State body has been contacted by any person offering to sell information related to the Panama papers leak; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26152/16]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they have not purchased any information related to the Panama Papers leak and have not been approached concerning the purchase of Panama Papers data. I am not aware of any other State body being approached about such a purchase. The Revenue are aware that some foreign tax administrations may have purchased the leaked Panama Papers data.
Revenue are, through their participation in the OECD JITSIC (Joint International Taskforce on Shared Intelligence and Collaboration) Network continuing to monitor developments with a view to obtaining access to the full documentation.
Revenue has also advised me that they requested access to any elements of the Panama Papers that could be of relevance to their work against tax evasion and avoidance. A significant volume of information was published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) on 9 May and Revenue are examining this data. I understand that it is their intention to make the fullest possible use of any relevant information that becomes available in pursuing any cases where it appears that tax liabilities have not been addressed.
Revenue has advised me that it will continue to engage fully with the JITSIC Network to agree concrete actions that tax administrations can take in response to the ICIJ evidence of tax avoidance and evasion, leading to a multilateral and co-ordinated approach to the data.
