John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of people who have paid preliminary tax in each of the past five years; the number of people who were charged interest as a result of non-payment; and the number of prosecutions brought by the Revenue Commissioners for non-payment of same. [18654/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the data requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of people who have paid preliminary tax and the number who have been charged interest as a result of non-payment in the last five years could not be compiled within the timeframe available. Information on the lines requested by the Deputy will be forwarded to him by Revenue as soon as it is available.

I am further advised by Revenue that prosecutions have not been taken for failure to pay preliminary tax in the past five years. Where a person fails to pay the correct amount of preliminary tax by the due date, the full tax debt for the year becomes due on that date, and all subsequent late payments will be subject to an interest charge. Revenue has focused its actions in response to preliminary tax non-compliance on the charging of interest as a more effective remedy in getting customers to become compliant.