Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. As he said, the lower limit of the levy is set at €200,000 per year. Figures suggest 25 tax exiles paid it in 2011, the year of its introduction following the passing of the Finance Act 2010, but that fell to 13 people in 2021. It has effectively halved since its introduction. Why does the Minister believe that is the case? The Revenue Commissioners keep records on income tax returns and people are obliged every year to indicate to Revenue whether they are based in this country or exiled for tax purposes or what their position is. Will the Minister indicate, if he has the figures available, how many such declarations were made last year? If he does not have them, I would appreciate if he would forward them to me. The low level of return is hard to comprehend given that, according to a Central Bank report of last year, there was, for example, a huge concentration of wealth in the hands of the top 5% of income-earners and asset-owners in this country, with wealth growing appreciably.

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