Ms Josephine Feehily:

I do not believe there is any history of pressure being placed on the Revenue Commissioners by politicians of any colour, whether Government or Opposition. Our independence in respect of the application of the Acts to individuals is part of the public confidence discussion that we began to have earlier. It is something we guard jealously. Deputies and Senators will know that in the past I have been rather robust in articulating our independence when we might have been doing things in accordance with the law that were not popular.