Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Is the Minister aware that the Revenue Commissioners have recently admitted to the Committee of Public Accounts that they are not aware whether tax has been paid on some €200 million paid by the State to landlords under rent supplement and they admit to significant gaps in their information on payments by the State to landlords, let alone payments made where the State is not involved in any way in the transaction? Is he aware that the Revenue Commissioners estimate rent relief will be claimed this year on 120,000 premises but the CSO calculates there are approximately 250,000 rented properties? If this is the case, it suggests as many as half of rented properties are not providing relief to the tenants — while I admit some of those might be on rent supplement, the figure is not anything close to 120,000. Will the Minister ask the Revenue Commissioners, the CSO and the Department of Social and Family Affairs to undertake a serious examination of the position of both tenants and landlords so we can have confidence that taxpayers are getting fair refunds and that landlords are paying their fair share?

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