(Limerick East): asked the Minister for Finance the extent to which the policy of the Revenue Commissioners on the non-replacement of staff in certain offices of the Revenue Commissioners is leading to an embargo by remaining staff on the work module of the non-replacement officer; if he will take remedial action to ensure that no taxpayer is adversely affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Revenue Commissioners Staff.
67.
The Office of the Revenue Commissioners is affected, in common with other Government departments, by Government policy on reducing numbers in the public service. The trade unions which represent the grades of higher tax officer, tax officer and clerical assistant in the Office of the Chief Inspector of Taxes have refused, as a matter of policy, to allow their members to do the work allocations of non-replaced officers. The total number of work allocations that presently remains unworked represents three posts of tax officer and seven posts of departmental clerical assistant. In most tax offices the problem has been resolved by local negotiations. The Revenue Commissioners are making every effort to resolve the problem in the remaining tax offices.