Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

75. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of companies and persons that were audited for non-payment or under-payment of tax in the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, by year; the total amount that was due in tax following these audits; the amount of the tax that has been collected and by how many persons; the total amount the surcharges and late payment fines amounted to in these years; the amount that was actually charged in surcharges and late payment fines; and the number of persons that paid the amounts. [22009/13]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the following Tables contain the details of the compliance interventions carried out by them from 2009-2012 inclusive. Compliance interventions include audits, conducted under the Code of Practice for Revenue Audit, as well as assurance checks and risk management interventions. Risk management interventions are used where, based on the risk assessment carried out on a case, it is felt that a full audit is not appropriate. Cases are selected for intervention on the basis of sophisticated risk analysis.

The Revenue Commissioners have also advised me that as a deterrent to tax and duty evasion considerable sanctions are applied. Details are provided in the following Table of the interest and penalties applied in the audit settlements from 2009 to 2012. These amounts are included in the above table.

Audit Settlements 2009 – 2012 – Breakdown of Interest and Penalties included.

In relation to late filing, surcharges are imposed on those who file their income tax, corporation tax and capital gains tax returns late. The surcharge amount is treated as additional tax and is calculated by applying a rate of 5% to the final tax charge for the year, where the return is up to two months late. The surcharge rate increases to 10% where the return is more than two months delayed. There are no late payment fines, but interest can be charged and this is determined on a case by case basis. Data are not maintained in such a way as to enable the numbers of cases or the amounts to be quantified.