Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is still considering changing the pay and file deadline from 2015 for self-assessed taxpayers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51278/13]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that, following a consultation process in relation to changes required to the Pay & File dates, I have decided not to introduce any changes for 2014. However it remains my intention to bring the annual Pay & File dates forward. This is required in order to provide increased certainty around the annual tax take and forecasting process following the move to an earlier Budget Day necessitated by the adoption of the Two-Pack.

As I have previously noted, the scope for unanticipated events which would lead to either a higher or lower than projected outturn is considerably increased in the context of an October Budget. In addition the ability to project future yield is compromised. Consequently, measures which would result in improvements in the availability of information or increases in the proportion of total yield already available prior to the Budget have to be considered. In this regard, I would refer to the following comments from the recently published Fiscal Assessment Report of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council;

"In summary, the movement of the Budget to October increases the risk that tax-forecasting and fiscal-deficit errors will be larger. This might warrant extra caution in setting the fiscal stance so as to ensure budgetary targets are met and fiscal rules are complied with. Moreover, this analysis takes no account of additional difficulties associated with preparing macroeconomic forecasts with two months fewer data. Recognising the issues arising from the existing structure of the Irish tax system, the Department of Finance has initiated a consultation process to bring forward the payment of taxes currently due in November."