asked the Minister for Finance to state the number of persons in the financial years 1926-27, 1927-28, and 1928-29 respectively:—(1) from whom a return of income for income tax purposes was required; (2) who were assessed for income tax; (3) whose returns indicated that their actual incomes (a) exceeded £150, but were less than £500; (b) exceeded £500 but were less than £700; (c) exceeded £700 but were less than £1,000; (d)exceeded £1,000 but were less than £1,500; (e) exceeded £1,500 but were less than £2,000; (4) whose returns indicated that their earned incomes (a) exceeded £150 but were less than £500; (b) exceeded £500 but were less than £700; (c) exceeded £700 but were less than £1,000; (d) exceeded £1,000 but were less than £1,500; (e) exceeded £1,500 but were less than £2,000; (5) whose returns indicated that their taxable incomes (a) exceeded £150 but were less than £500; (b) exceeded £500 but were less than £700; (c) exceeded £700 but were less than £1,000; (d) exceeded £1,000 but were less than £1,500; (e) exceeded £1,500 but were less than £2,000; (6) who claimed allowances (a) as single persons; (b) as married persons; (c) in respect of one child: (d) in respect of two children; (e) in respect of three children; (f) in respect of earned income.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Saorstát Income Tax Returns.
As I have informed the Deputy on previous occasions, the income tax statistics are not extracted in such a form as to enable the required information to be compiled. For the available statistical information I would refer the Deputy to Table 78 of the Sixth Annual Report of the Revenue Commissioners for the year ended 31st March, 1929.
I knew I was going to get that answer. Does the Minister tell me that his Department is so inefficient that it cannot complete a simple return of that nature?
It is a question of time. The real job is to get in the income tax, and any diversion of staff to compile statistics would interfere with that work.
The Minister pleases to be facetious. Surely one of the duties of his Department would be to ascertain what is the real incidence of income tax in the matter, and to see what section of the population it presses most hardly upon and who pays the most tax. According to the Minister that does not worry his Department, and all he does is to act as a sort of screw-press to get the money, no matter who pays.