Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am just trying to get my head around the system of tax appeals. I thank the officials for their engagement, but clearly there is an issue, which is the reason they are here. Increases are being provided for in budgets, including for ICT, to try to resolve the issue. I am just trying to get my head around why it is taking so long to get to where we want to go, but it does look as if there is some light at the end of the tunnel, at least in dealing with legacy cases. At the same time, 1,689 cases were submitted last year. If the figures are all quite small, one can say that is fair enough, but if we are dealing with sums of over €1 billion or €1.67 billion, they are very large cases in which there is a great deal at stake for taxpayers and the State, depending on whether it has to give the money back. Is there a figure for the success rate or otherwise? One hears a figure of 30% for the number of appeals to An Bórd Pleannála won or lost. Is there a figure for the percentage of those who win and lose?