Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress to date between her Department and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners on the finalising of the renewed memorandum of understanding between her Department and organisations regarding co-operation and mutual assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24763/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department and the Revenue Commissioners are continuing the process of negotiating a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The new MOU is designed to build on the close co-operation that already exists between this Department and the Revenue Commissioners by improving and intensifying the levels and scope of existing administrative and operational arrangements between the two organisations. To that end, it is mindful of the respective roles and missions of each as public service organisations, of the particular importance of the services provided by each and recognising the growing interdependencies between them in achieving delivery of those services to the highest standard. The scope of the draft MOU covers aspects such as:

the timely collection by Revenue on behalf of the Department, of pay related social insurance (PRSI) contributions;

transfer to the Department of monies collected in an agreed manner and within agreed timescales;

the provision of accurate customer information and data;

the timely transfer of information and data by the Department to Revenue;

active joint co-operation in combating fraud;

maximising the opportunities offered by new technologies;

shared services (for example in relation to printing);

joint training; and

related practices and provisions on governance, monitoring, consultation and ongoing review.

Detailed discussions have taken place and very good progress has been made. A final round of discussions is now under way with a view to concluding the new MOU in the coming months.