Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 July 2020
200. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the status of the compliance programme introduced last month to ensure correct operation of the temporary wage subsidy scheme; the number of firms audited to date as a percentage of those currently availing of the scheme; the number of breaches found to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16869/20]
View answerThe Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) supports employment during the public health restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme has to date supported almost 63,000 employers in maintaining the employment of some 618,000 employees at a cost over €2 billion.
The Deputy’s question refers to the ongoing programme of compliance checks by Revenue to ensure that only employers who meet the qualifying conditions, as set out in Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (COVID-19) Act 2020, are availing of the scheme and that the income supports are being properly paid to employees. Revenue has confirmed that the compliance checks, which are not part of its programme of audits and other tax compliance interventions are being carried out on a phased basis over the next few months. To date, compliance letters have issued to approximately 12% of employers availing of the scheme and many of these have already provided a prompt and satisfactory response to Revenue’s information requests. A small number of cases have been escalated to a more detailed examination and these enquiries are ongoing.
Revenue has advised me that it is too early in the programme of checks to draw conclusions, but to date the enquiries have not indicated any widespread abuse of the scheme.
