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Tax Collection.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 June 2005

Thursday, 30 June 2005

Ceisteanna (270)

John Cregan

Ceist:

255 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on the perceived delays with correspondence and queries in the Dublin PAYE offices; if delays can be quantified; the reason for the delays; if a timetable for working off arrears will be given. [23770/05]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the peak period for receiving PAYE correspondence extends from January to June each year.

The volume of contacts from PAYE taxpayers in the Dublin region, in the period January 2005 through June 2005 was as follows:

PAYE tax returns and correspondence

320,832

PAYE phone calls answered

404,831

Callers to public offices

161,125

Total

886,788

This represents an increase of 17.35% in contacts over 2004.

All available resources during this period were concentrated primarily in dealing with the substantial increase in PAYE 1890 phone calls and callers to our public offices. The volume of unworked post reached its peak in mid April 2005.

The reasons for the delays included a significant increase in economic activity in the Dublin region resulting in a sizable increase in thecasebase, for example approximately 20,000 new PAYE registrations in the first six months of 2005; the 17.35% overall increase in contacts from PAYE taxpayers in the same period; the reduction in the time period for repayment claims from ten years to four years resulted in a significant increase in the number of claims and in the complexity of those claims; many claims were for a ten-year period; and greater awareness by taxpayers of their entitlements to tax credits and reliefs as a consequence of an intensive advertising campaign by Revenue and other media coverage.

Revenue inform me that through determined efforts by Dublin management and staff, the April backlog has now been substantially reduced and it is planned to have dealt with all the pre-July correspondence by 31 July. Management and staff have been working in full co-operation to clear the arrears. There have been no industrial relation problems during this period and staff shortages have not been an issue. Staff have in fact been working extremely long hours in a determined effort to clear the arrears and overtime has been made available where necessary.

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