Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 284: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of companies who are in arrears on their obligations to pay PRSI; and the amount of PRSI outstanding from those employers. [26599/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of employers who are three months, six months, nine months, 12 months or longer in arrears of PRSI payments to his Department; the average amount owing for each time frame described above and the total amount owing by employers. [26600/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 and 285 together.

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that PRSI and health levy are paid as one amount. The total amount paid annually by employers for each of the past five years is as follows:

The number of employers, excluding those with minor amounts, with PRSI and health levy outstanding is in the region of 11,000 out of a total number of live employer registrations of 193,000. Cases with debts are all subject to ongoing collection and compliance activity by Revenue. PRSI and health levy outstanding for all years to end 2004, at 31 March 2005 was €176 million. This represents 2.5% of total PRSI and health levy collected in 2004 and is in line with the overall levels of tax outstanding. It is not possible to give a breakdown for the timeframes requested.