Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I proposed the establishment of a taxpayer advocacy office about three years ago following a visit I made to the equivalent office in the United States. Despite what the Minister said about an improvement in the revenue system, which improvement I acknowledge, the ordinary taxpayer is not sufficiently empowered and does not have sufficient entitlements vis-À-vis the Revenue Commissioners. In the past three or four weeks, when taxpayers were filling in self-assessment tax forms and making payments through the Revenue Commissioners' on-line service, it was impossible for them to get through to the office over the telephone. Did the Minister try to call the Revenue Commissioners to experience what PAYE and self-employed taxpayers were experiencing?

Is the Minister aware that the survey by the Irish Taxation Institute, which supports the Labour Party's call for a taxpayer advocacy office, found that the processing time for tax returns now exceeds three months and that 72% of the institute's tax practitioners consider the Revenue's service negative and unsatisfactory. While the Revenue Commissioners have made much progress due to prodding from Opposition parties and have improved their advertising in respect of tax allowances and tax credits, these steps are not enough. Figures will indicate that in excess of €200 million, which taxpayers are entitled to reclaim, will remain unclaimed at the end of this year. Did the Minister telephone the Revenue Commissioners to check what conditions have been like over the past month?

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