Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour)
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80. To ask the Minister for Finance the total outstanding amount of arrears owed to the Revenue Commissioners up to and including 30 June 2013, with a breakdown of the amount owed by self employed, national companies and multinational companies; the number of Revenue staff engaged in recouping the arrears for the year 2011, 2012, and 30 June 2013. [41701/13]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Firstly, the Deputy will be aware that debt collection continues to be very challenging for both business and Revenue given the ongoing difficult financial environment. I am assured that Revenue continues to be very conscious of the challenges that exist for some businesses in meeting their tax obligations in a timely manner and its debt collection caseworkers will always seek to work proactively with taxpayers and viable businesses that engage positively to agree mutually satisfactory arrangements to overcome temporary cashflow difficulties in preference to deploying enforcement options.

I am informed that the total outstanding tax debt at 31 March 2013, the latest date for which debt data is available, amounted to €2,006m. However the ‘debt available for collection’ portion of the total debt, which excludes both debt under appeal to the Appeal Commissioners and insolvent debt was €1,180m at that date. This figure, which is a more accurate reflection of the debt available to Revenue to manage through its debt management programmes was €137m or 10% less than the same period in 2012. Of the €1,180m ‘debt available for collection’ figure at 31 March 2013, €476m was under active enforcement and a further €124m was the subject of phased payment arrangements.

In regard to the Deputy’s request for a breakdown of the arrears, I am informed that the data is not maintained in the format requested. However the data is available at taxhead level and is attached in the table below.

In regard to the Deputy’s question on the number of Revenue staff engaged in arrears collection, primary responsibility for debt management rests with the Collector-General’s Division. The purpose of the Collector-General’s debt management function is to ensure the timely collection of the business and personal taxes for which Revenue has responsibility and, where timely compliance is not achieved, to undertake robust debt collection activity to recoup arrears. The numbers of Collector-General staff involved in debt collection activity during the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 are as follows:

Finally, I am assured by Revenue that, notwithstanding the continuing very difficult environment, achieving further reductions in collectible debt is a key strategic objective. I am satisfied that the continuing trend in decreasing levels of ‘debt available for collection’ over the last couple of years is encouraging and clearly demonstrates the success of Revenue’s current approach to debt management.

Analysis of Taxes Outstanding Debt at 31 March 2013