Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister may imply that nothing has changed, but the reality is very different. There is a reason we have this system. It is so that organised groups of workers can avail of their rights. That is why ICTU and Mandate are opposed to this. I commend their activism in that regard. The mechanism is now being taken from individual workers who were previously allocated these deductions as of right as a group of workers and who will now have to hold receipts and claim individually. It is a bureaucratic nightmare for those claiming as well as for Revenue which will have to process and check such claims. The Minister said Revenue was independent in the implementation of the tax code. While that is a clear statement of fact, I quote to him the Taoiseach's statement:

No changes will be implemented before 1 January 2020 if at all. I will make sure changes are politically proofed before they happen.

Can the Minister outline to the House what political proofing the Government intends to engage in on this? Why is the Taoiseach suggesting these changes may not happen at all? Has the review been completed in a number of sectors and has a decision been made in that regard, notwithstanding the deferral of its implementation, or is there a question mark, as outlined by the Taoiseach, over whether this will happen? What engagement has the Minister or his officials had with Revenue officials on this measure?

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