Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 April 2009
193 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with the efforts made by his Department and the Revenue Commissioners to inform people about their potential entitlement to a DIRT free deposit account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15420/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that when DIRT exempt accounts were introduced in April 2007, the initiative was widely publicised. Publicity measures included the production and dissemination of two information leaflets; the first DE1 was for account holders who qualified on the basis of being aged 65 years, while the second DE2 was for those who qualified on the basis of permanent incapacitation. These leaflets provided comprehensive information for qualifying taxpayers on how to have interest credited without deduction of DIRT. The application forms and information leaflets were made available in Revenue offices and in financial institutions. In 2007, Revenue arranged for information to be issued to social welfare customers in receipt of state pensions, which resulted in 100,000 information leaflets being sent out in conjunction with other information being circulated by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
I am further informed that in 2008 Revenue produced and circulated over 2,550 information posters about DIRT exempt accounts for those aged 65 years and over. The posters were circulated for display in Citizens Information Offices, banks, post offices and in Revenue's local public offices. Irish versions of the posters were also printed and circulated. Revenue also provided briefing material to relevant interested parties including the Senior Times magazine and Age Action Ireland.
Information about DIRT exempt accounts is also available on the Revenue website, www.revenue.ie. Provisional figures show that in 2008 73,738 DIRT free deposit accounts were operated, which demonstrates the satisfactory arrangements which have been made.
194 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Finance the number of people who made a claim for a tax refund on becoming unemployed in 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15421/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the number of people who made a claim for a tax refund on becoming unemployed in the years in question are as follows:
2007 — 27,652.
2008 — 44,987.
2009 (to 17 April) — 6,018.
195 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied with the efforts made by his Department and the Revenue Commissioners to inform people about their potential entitlement to a tax refund if they are made unemployed during the tax year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15422/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they have a range of information available to taxpayers in relation to their entitlements to claim tax refunds if they are unemployed.
The Revenue website, www.revenue.ie contains a wide range of information in relation to how claims can be made and what information customers need in order to make a claim.
At the start of each tax year, the Revenue Commissioners send all taxpayers a tax credit certificate which sets out their tax credits and their standard rate band. When sending out the 2009 tax credit certificates, the Revenue Commissioners included a booklet PAYE for Employees. This 16 page booklet about the PAYE system included 2 pages of information about changing jobs and what to do in relation to a possible tax refund if a taxpayer is out of work. The booklet was sent to over 2.2 million taxpayers in November and December 2008 in advance of the start of the tax year. The information was presented in an easy-to-read format in booklet form in order that PAYE taxpayers would use it as a handy reference guide about the tax system.
Regarding the specific question about people who become unemployed, I am advised that this is handled in a very direct way. When a person becomes unemployed, their employer provides them with Form P45 which includes information in the section titled "Important Notes for Employee" about what a taxpayer should do if unemployed and claiming a tax repayment. Taxpayers who are unemployed and claiming a tax repayment are advised to send parts 2, 3 and 4 of the Form P45, with a completed Form P50, to their local Revenue Office. I am fully satisfied with this arrangement.
Furthermore, Revenue operates a Lo Call 1890 telephone service for PAYE taxpayers taking between 6,000 and 12,000 calls per day, depending on the time of year. Information on unemployment refunds is available from the Lo Call service.
