Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

This matter arose from the recent visit by the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners to the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service. I was staggered to note how low the take-up was in medical relief, for example. Most people would spend at least €125 annually on medicine, and a family would spend at least €250, yet only 105,000 people out of a population of 4 million claimed the relief. In the private rental area there are 90,000 people claiming relief. We know from the CSO that there are 220,000 people in rented accommodation, though some of those are in local authority housing. Only 100,000 people claim home carer credits. It is clear that many people are not claiming their entitlements so the Minister for Finance and the Revenue Commissioners are exacting tax which they should not be exacting. Will the Minister make a better effort to look at the particular categories where there is clear evidence of under-claiming, and make it easier for people to receive their entitlements? This is excess taxation on many people in the low-paid categories in those areas.

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