Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
192. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the estimated revenue which could be achieved by increasing the number of inspectors and auditors employed by the Revenue Commissioners by an additional 100 and 200 persons, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32922/19]
View answerIn each Budget since Budget 2016, I have introduced a series of “compliance measures” among the taxation policy changes. These are specific Revenue programmes or initiatives aimed at raising tax revenue through enhanced taxpayer compliance. In each year I have also assigned additional resources to Revenue to help them to deliver on these measures.
One of these measures included in Budget 2017 was to increase Revenue staff resources by 50 (full time equivalent) on audit and investigation activities. Detailed Revenue analysis of the implementation of this measure, published in October 2018 at https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/research/budget-2017-compliance-measures.pdf, estimates that the additional receipts achieved from 50 additional trained staff working on audit or other risk management interventions are €23.5 million.
On this basis of this, and consistent with earlier analysis including the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure in 2014, I am advised by Revenue that an additional 100 and 200 audit staff would increase receipts by approximately €50 million and €100 million respectively in a full year.
