Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy McGrath that the statistics put on the record by Deputy Boyd Barrett are startling, but what is even more startling is they are all incorrect. He has been supplied with the information previously which shows they are incorrect. In an exchange with me in the House it was pointed out to him the discrepancy between 34,000 and approximately 75,000 arises from the fact 34,000 subcontractors are active in the RCT system but they employ 75,386. It is the difference between the numbers employed and the numbers of subcontractors. The Deputy was given this information. Revenue wrote to him on 17 July 2015 and practically all of the information he is still putting on the record was corrected in a very lengthy letter by the Revenue Commissioners personally to him.

The Deputy's assertion is not correct, unless he is challenging the figures given to him by Revenue and which Revenue has said are not correct. There is a general issue and I will ensure Revenue is made aware of our exchange of views today but the Revenue Commissioners feel they are on top of the issue and are not closing their eyes to it. They are pursuing it actively and are making serious progress. I will ensure they are made aware of the views expressed in the debate today.

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