Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Finance the receipts on an annual basis from DIRT for each year from 1997 to date; the number of people or accounts of same levied in each of those years; the arrangements there are in force in respect of refunds where DIRT is levied on taxpayers with unused personal tax allowances and credits; and if there are special allowances in place in respect of people over 65. [2803/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The following table sets out the net yield from DIRT collected from 1997 to 2005:

The amount of DIRT due to be paid each year is dependent on the amount of moneys on deposit and the rates of interest applying to such deposits rather than on the number of accounts involved. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the statutory return of DIRT filed by the financial institutions requires details only of the relevant amount of interest paid in the year and the appropriate tax in relation to the payment of that interest. Such DIRT returns are subject to audit by the Revenue Commissioners.

A refund of deposit interest retention tax is provided for in very limited circumstances only, viz an individual who is not liable or fully liable to income tax and is over 65 years of age at some time during the tax year or is permanently incapacitated by reason of mental or physical infirmity from maintaining himself or herself. Bodies qualifying for charitable status and companies are also entitled to refund of DIRT. The taxpayer must advise Revenue that he or she meets the legislative requirements and the amount of the retention tax suffered.

With deposit interest rates being very low in recent years, the quantum of the interest earned and tax retained would be very small in many cases and may be considered uneconomic to reclaim. In 2004 the Revenue Commissioners issued some 15,000 copies of the relevant form — form 54D — to those who claimed refunds in previous years. A corresponding figure for the number of forms issued in 2005 is not yet available.