I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the issue of approximately 2.2 million individual tax credit certificates to PAYE customers has now been completed. Revenue has advised me that each year priority is given initially to the issue of new certificates to employers so that employees get the benefit of changes to tax credits and reliefs announced in the budget in December in their pay packets as quickly as possible. Once the issue to employers is completed the next priority is the issue of certificates to the individual PAYE customers.
The number of certificates to issue to both employers and PAYE customers is a major logistical operation and is of necessity spread over a period of several weeks. In addition, the budget changes involve changes to Revenue computer systems and this adds to the overall timeframe for the issuing of certificates. An added dimension for 2006 was the new PAYE computer system put in place by Revenue in October last that forms the foundation for a range of improved services for PAYE customers coming later this year.
Some situations have been identified where incorrect tax credit certificates have issued for 2006. Most of these have already been corrected and employers notified of the revised credits due. Any adjustments are automatically backdated to 1 January. I am assured that Revenue is working to fix the remaining problem cases as quickly as possible.