Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
360. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Finance the reason that the Revenue office in Athlone has remained closed to the public since 2019; and if he will request that this office re-open as an essential service to the public. [40359/22]
View answer382. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Finance the number of Revenue Commissioner offices that are not open to the public per county in tabular form; when public access stopped; and the plans, if any, to reintroduce or to increase public access to these offices. [40874/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 382 together.
Revenue has confirmed that between 2015 and 2017 a number of their public offices transitioned from a walk-in service to an appointments service. Athlone moved to an appointments service in July 2016. This service allows people to schedule an appointment at a time that suits them, eliminating queue waiting times that are a feature of any walk-in service. At the end of 2019 appointments could be arranged in all Revenue offices and a walk-in service was available in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin.
I am advised by Revenue that from the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the majority of Revenue public offices, excluding ports, airports and trade facilitations stations closed to the public in line with public health guidelines. Revenue have confirmed that an in-person appointment service is being provided at the recently re-opened Revenue Information Office at Cathedral Street, Dublin 1. Appointments can be booked by calling the Appointment Helpline on 01 738 3660. It is envisaged that similar services will be provided in Limerick, Cork and Galway, from September 2022.
The in-person appointment service is in addition to the existing virtual appointment service being provided which largely reduces the need to visit in-person. Virtual appointments can also be booked through the Appointment Helpline.
Revenue continues to provide a full range of online services for taxpayers to manage their tax affairs, which for the most part removes any requirement to access public offices. These services, which include an online communications channel through the MyEnquiries system, are available 24/7, are easy to use and are fully secure. For taxpayers who, for a variety of reasons, may not have access to the online services, Revenue provides extensive support across its various telephone helplines and continues to operate a full service for queries being received through the postal system.
