Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1998

Vol. 495 No. 7

Written Answers. - Rental Income.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

381 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 213 of 20 October 1998, the reason the declared rental income of individuals for the tax year 1996-7 is not available; his views on whether the length of time to compile these figures is acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21335/98]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the availability of historical data relating to the income tax system is directly influenced by the need to have significantly over 90 per cent of tax returns represented in the figures. Because of the return filing date for self-assessment returns from Schedule D taxpayers, the most recent year for which relatively complete and comparable data can be provided for both Schedule D and PAYE income distribution is 1995-96.

The information provided in Parliamentary Question No. 213 of 20 October 1998, includes figures on rental income which were included in self-assessment returns for 1995-96. Statistics on these returns were processed at 27 April, 1998 having reached a level of coverage representing some 93 per cent of the total returns expected. Self-assessment returns for the income tax year 1996-97 have not yet reached the appropriate level of coverage but are expected to do so by the end of this year.