asked the Minister for Finance the reason old age pensioners are receiving questionnaires from the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers - Revenue Commissioners Questionnaires.
6.
I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that a pensioner with no source of income other than his old age pension would not be liable for income tax. Where, however, an inspector of taxes has reason to believe that a person has sources of income other than those already on record, it is a normal procedure to issue a questionnaire so as to obtain full details of the person's income from all sources to enable the exact tax liability to be established.
The Deputy's reference to old age pensioners may arise from the issue of questionnaires some months ago from a particular tax district, in a limited number of cases, many of which went to old age pensioners. As explained at the time, the particular questionnaires, in the form of stock letters designed many years ago, were addressed to persons who were known to have other sources of income and who had failed to respond to earlier inquiries from the inspector of taxes. The issue of these questionnaires to old age pensioners was not in conformity with current practice and the addressees were then contacted and advised to disregard them. If there is any particular instance causing concern, I should glad if the Deputy would let me have details of the case or cases concerned.
Is the Minister aware that contributory old-age pensioners who worked for local authorities and live in council cottages have been receiving these questionnaires? A number of those people approached me. I cannot understand how such forms were sent to those people who do not have any other source of income. Has the Minister any information about this matter?
I have explained how the matter arose. It wás an erroneous and regrettable incident, the sending out of questionnaires that were totally inappropriate to the conditions of the people to whom they were sent. The people who received those questionnaires were subsequently contacted and told to disregard them. If the Deputy has any cases in mind where they did not get a notice to disregard the questionnaire I would be glad if he would let me know so that we can clear the matter up with the people concerned.
When were the questionnaires sent out? Is the Minister aware that the communications stated that in the relevant tax offices there was no record of the people concerned? Such a record should exist because most of these people worked with the local authorities. The questionnaires were being sent out up to this month.
The incident arose some months ago. To the best of my recollection the questionnaires were sent out early in the summer and the matter came to light some time after.
Why were they sent out?
I explained that the matter was erroneous and regrettable. I said that on three occasions and if the Deputy now finds he has made a discovery the best of luck to him.
When was the mistake made because it was a costly one?
I made the point that this was a regretable error. The questionnaires were not designed for the kind of people who got them, although we can surmise how they came on the list. If the Deputy has particular cases where this is still causing a problem, I would be glad if he would let me know so that we can take the necessary steps to have the matter resolved for those people.
Will the Minister give a commitment to us that he will consult with the Minister for Social Welfare on the matter? Will he not agree that old age pensioners are much more likely to have peace of mind if a pension officer comes to visit them to query some matters rather than having circulars from the Revenue Commissioners which cause them considerable upset and inconveniance?
The Minister for Social Welfare has no function in this matter. It should be clear from my answers that there is no need for either a tax inspector or a social welfare inspector to visit those people for any of the information. Therefore, that matter does not arise.