Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of money invested in private pension funds each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21926/11]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a total value of pension contributions relief AVCs, PRSAs and so on claimed by persons on their individual tax returns for the tax years 2006 to 2009. [22026/11]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a total value of pension contributions claimed by companies on their corporation tax returns for the accounting periods ending in 2006 to 2010. [22027/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 77 and 78 together.

I assume that the information being sought relates to the amounts of contributions to pensions and not on the associated costs to the Exchequer of tax forgone.

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the only relevant information they have in this area is in respect of the amounts of contributions to various pension arrangements for which income tax and corporation tax relief is claimed. These are contributions to Retirement Annuity Contracts (RACs) and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) by self-employed individuals and employees in non-pensionable employment and also contributions by employees and employers via payrolls to occupational pension schemes and PRSAs. Contributions by companies on behalf of their employees are included in the figures provided by employers and these figures are derived from the annual P35 returns made by employers to the Revenue Commissioners. The total aggregated amounts of all contributions for the years 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, the latest year available, are as follows.

Amounts Claimed

€ million

2005 3,131.5

2006 4,052

2007 4,257.5

2008 4,470

A breakdown of the main constituents of these aggregates is shown in the following tables:

Contributions to RACs and PRSAs

€ million

2005 1,031.5

2006 1,270

2007 1,244

2008 1,145

The information on RACs and PRSAs is based on income tax returns on Revenue records at the time the data were compiled for analytical purposes, representing approximately between 85% and 95% of all returns expected, depending on when the data was extracted for each year. As is done for the purpose of compiling annual estimates of cost to the Exchequer, these basic figures are, in accordance with normal practice, grossed-up at aggregate level to adjust for the perceived level of incompleteness. The figures given in this reply are on that basis. Consequently the figures now being provided are higher than the figures given in replies to certain other questions to do with actual tax cost breakdowns where no adjustment for incompleteness was made.

Contributions by employees to occupational pension schemes

€ million

2005 1,114

2006 1,423

2007 1,553.5

2008 1,722

Contributions by employers to occupational pension schemes and PRSAs on behalf of their employees

€ million

2005 986

2006 1,359

2007 1,460

2008 1,603