Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

On behalf of the Labour Party, I have proposed the creation of a taxpayers' advocate. Notwithstanding the improvements which the Opposition has forced on the Revenue Commissioners in recent years to be more accountable to hard-working taxpayers, progress has been slow. It is a well established fact that every year some €200 million in tax refunds and rebates go uncollected by people in the PAYE sector and other taxpayers. Perhaps the Minister could update us with the figures. Recently, the Minister introduced a restriction of four years on ordinary PAYE taxpayers reclaiming rebates and refunds that may be due to them. Health expenses refunds are particularly bad in this regard. Young people may have influenza at this time of year and need to visit a doctor. They may not need to do so again until next November or December. They do not keep receipts, yet they are entitled to a tax refund for the minimum €50 it costs to go to a doctor in Dublin.

The Minister is arrogant to suggest that what the Revenue Commissioners have done, as a result of continuous pressure by the Opposition, is fantastic. Over Christmas, the Revenue Commissioners featured at some length in the Moriarty report. That report revealed that the Minister's late leader, Mr. Charles Haughey, could pick up the phone for two or three millionaires who had tax problems or were anxious to have a discussion about tax issues and, hey presto, the Chairman himself would get in touch with the affected millionaires.

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