Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to talk about the Revenue Commissioners and the new system for PAYE workers, namely, real time reporting, RTR, which was introduced at the beginning of this year. This is the most significant change to the PAYE system since its introduction in the 1960s but already an issue has arisen regarding teachers. Last month, an end date was incorrectly applied by the Department of Education and Skills payroll software to files submitted to Revenue. This led to teachers being treated as new employees and their pay being subjected to emergency tax. This software problem has affected substitute staff paid on 3, 10 and 17 January. So far, this represents 8% of the payees on the payroll in January 2019. To make matters worse, the Minister was unable to commit to a date by which the issue would be resolved. This new system might streamline a few things but it is not beneficial if it means that workers lose out.Under this new system, employees who leave a job to start a new one will no longer receive a P45. When employees start a new job, Revenue has put the onus on them to look after their own tax affairs, including moving tax credits from one employment to another. If they do not know this, they end up paying much more tax than is necessary. Revenue is encouraging employees to set up an online record with it called myAccount. Quite a level of computer skills is required to do this and many employees are complaining about this. They have complained to their employers and banks but they have also contacted me and other politicians because they believe they were not told about this in the proper way. Revenue has not been forthcoming with this information.

I call on the Minister to launch a large and active awareness campaign about this new system. Consideration should be have been to those who do not have access to broadband and those who do not have the required level of computer skills. It is a major issue. It is one of the biggest issues that has faced PAYE workers and we need to address it. The Minister is aware of it but a proper campaign to heighten awareness about this new system needs to be introduced.

We will support the doctors who are out in protest today. I listened to what my Sinn Féin colleagues said and I had to let it go over my head. We in Fianna Fail always look after the working people-----