Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the criticism of the Revenue Commissioners by the Institute of Taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39155/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I have read the recent newspaper report about the survey. I have also recently met with the Irish Institute of Taxation in the context of the pre-budget submission process where this issue was also raised.

Customer surveys can be useful in providing feedback on service delivery. In fact, I am advised that Revenue will shortly publish a survey which it conducted of 2000 SMEs, and from which indications are generally very positive as regards Revenue's service to businesses and preliminary results of my own Department's survey of several hundred firms on the operation of the BES scheme also indicate a positive view of Revenue's operations in that regard. I have also noted a recent comment by the Small Firms Association to the effect that they regard Revenue as being among the most proactive of Government agencies when it comes to empathising with the needs of small business. Therefore one needs to seek a balance in reporting on such matters.

I am advised by Revenue that they continuously examine ideas to further improve service to all their customers, including tax practitioners. Earlier this year, senior staff from Revenue conducted a series of interviews with the major tax practitioner bodies to seek their views on service issues. Ideas on further improving service to tax practitioners will be advanced through the Tax Administration Liaison Committee, which is made up of Revenue and representatives of the main Accountancy Bodies, the Law Society and the Irish Taxation Institute.

Revenue continues to work closely with all tax practitioner bodies and clearly Revenue sees tax practitioners as very important to the smooth running of the self-assessment tax system. In recent days, for example, record numbers of tax returns and record amounts of tax have been filed and paid electronically using Revenue's online service (ROS), which has been a tremendous success. Most of these returns are filed by tax practitioners on behalf of their clients and I understand that several practitioner representatives have commented very positively on this aspect of Revenue service.