Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is useful for us to know and a matter we can take up with individual Accounting Officers in relation to their particular agency.

The issue of interaction between the Revenue Commissioners and businesses in a difficult economic climate arises time and again. I do not want to take up too much time so I will ask just a couple of questions, to which Ms Feehily may respond together, if she wishes. In 2011, the Revenue Commissioners petitioned to have companies wound up on 62 occasions. What was the figure for 2012?

The job and statutory function of the Revenue Commissioners is to collect tax. While they can come to agreements with people, they must ultimately bring in the money, and we will criticise them if they do not bring in enough money. I take the point in that regard. However, is consideration or weight given to the impact of an attachment order on the loss of jobs? There was the high-profile case involving one of the haulage companies. The Revenue Commissioners put an attachment order on a business and there was a loss of 400 jobs. In the current climate, how do the Revenue Commissioners approach dealing with businesses? What is considered by the Revenue Commissioners at the stage of applying for attachment orders? How many petitions to have businesses wound up were applied for in 2012, as opposed to 2011, in which there were 62?