asked the Minister for Finance to state the number of moneylenders registered during the last five years (a) in Dublin, (b) in the rest of the country, and the total amount of income tax paid by such registered moneylenders for each year during the same period; and, further, whether the Revenue Commissioners have exercised the power, by making regulations under Section 3 of the Moneylenders Act of 1900, to examine all accounts of such moneylenders; and further, to ask the Minister if he can state how many of such registered moneylenders are also registered moneylenders outside the Saorstát.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Registered Moneylenders.
The number of moneylenders registered in An Saorstát during the last five years was 253. Of these 206 registered with Dublin addresses and 47 with addresses outside Dublin. Fourteen out of the 253 had also places of business in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
The powers of the Revenue Commissioners under Section 3 of the Moneylenders Act, 1900, are restricted to the making of regulations respecting the registration of moneylenders, the form of the register and the particulars to be entered therein, the fees to be paid on registration and renewal of registration, and respecting the inspection of the register and the fees payable therefor. No power is given under that section as regards making regulations for the examination of accounts of moneylenders. Regulations made by the Commissioners under the section are subject to my approval.
To obtain figures of income tax paid by registered moneylenders would necessitate communicating with Inspectors of Taxes in regard to each of the 253 cases, and I am of opinion that the information thus obtained would not justify the considerable labour that would be involved.