Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform

Draft Heads of Finance (Tax Appeals Commission) Bill: Discussion (Resumed)

2:30 pm

Mr. John O'Callaghan:

None that I know of. Let me explain what can happen. We give a decision. The taxpayer has two options when we give a decision, if he or she loses. There is the option of a rehearing in the Circuit Court in most instances. Alternatively, there is the option of an appeal to the High Court on a point of law. If appealing to the High Court on a point of law, the taxpayer must notify us within 21 days of us giving the decision that he or she wishes to go to the High Court. The taxpayer requests a case stated. We have checked the numbers. In the past ten years, roughly one tenth of the applications for a case stated have resulted in cases going to the High Court. In 90% of them, people decide not to proceed to the High Court. It is an expensive business. It takes time and so on.