Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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283. To ask the Minister for Finance the total number of interest paying accounts on which DIRT tax was paid in each year from 2011 to 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41302/14]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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284. To ask the Minister for Finance the average payment of DIRT tax per eligible account in which a DIRT tax liability arose in each year from 2011 to 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41303/14]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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286. To ask the Minister for Finance the tax forgone as a result of the DIRT tax exemption scheme in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41305/14]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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287. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of deposit-savings accounts yielding less than €10,000 in DIRT tax; €10,001 to €25,000, €25,001 to €50,000, €50,001 to €100,000, €100,001 to €200,000, €200,001 to €300,000, €300,001 to €400,000, €400,001 to €500,000, €500,001 to €600,000, €600,001 to €700,000, €700,001 to €800,000, €800,001 to €900,000, €900,001 to €1,000,000 and above €1 million in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41306/14]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 283, 284, 286 and 287 together.

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the amount of Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) collected in 2011 to 2013 is available in the "Net Receipts" section of the Revenue's Statistics webpage: . 

I am further informed by the Commissioners that DIRT on interest bearing deposits is declared and paid on a four-times yearly basis by financial institutions: in April, July and October of the tax year in question and in the following January. Returns for each year are due by 15 January of the following year and the total value of DIRT due and paid is reported to Revenue on the January returns at institutional level. Sufficiently detailed figures are not required in these returns to identify the numbers of accounts on which DIRT was paid, the average DIRT payment per account or the tax forgone resulting from DIRT exemptions.

Separately, under regulations, as provided for in Section 891B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, certain financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, are required to make automatic annual returns at account level electronically to Revenue. The primary purpose of this Section is to provide information for use in risk analysis by Revenue and therefore the requirement to report interest focuses on account holders in receipt of larger payments. The information under S891B is provided where the total payment of interest is greater than €635 in a year, regardless of deduction of DIRT, and in all instances of a first interest payment irrespective of threshold for accounts opened on or after 1 January 2008. These returns include DIRT exempt accounts. Returns for 2011, 2012 & 2013 were due by the end of March 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. It is important to note the information received under Section 891B is not limited to individuals but also includes interest payments on accounts held by corporations and other entities.

The number of interest bearing deposit accounts reported under the S891B regulations for 2011, 2012 & 2013 is 1.43 million, 1.22 million and 1.07 million respectively. The total value of interest paid to these accounts for 2011, 2012 and 2013 is €2.42 billion, €2.10 billion and €1.88 billion respectively. Financial institutions reported that DIRT was not deducted on around 190,100, 194,000 and 183,600 of these accounts for 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively but data on the amount of DIRT forgone in respect of such accounts is not available. The amount of DIRT is not returned at account level in the S891B returns so it is not possible to provide analysis by range as requested in Question 41306/14. These figures are provisional and may be subject to revision.