Written answers

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Departmental Staff Allowances

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

933. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent in each of the years 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments; if her Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits-in-kind; if these processes have been revised in view of the Revenue Commissioners' concerns over practices in other State bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23675/15]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The total amount spent per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015 on staff subsistence payments and on taxi payments where staff are engaged in official business is laid out in the following table.

-2011 €2012 €2013 €2014 €2015 € (to 12 June 2015)
Staff Subsistence Payments528,823.93570,528.62522,597.55474,142.36199,038.87
Taxi Payments18,868.0717,502.6111,489.5416,593.596,680.73

All travel and subsistence payments were made in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidance on such matters and I am advised that no benefit in kind issues arise. My Department has not been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits in kind.

I understand, however, that such matters are kept under active review, in consultation with the Revenue Commissioners, as appropriate. In that context, following an internal review and an unprompted voluntary disclosure by my Department, a payment of €102,179 was made to the Revenue Commissioners in 2014. This was in respect of a benefit in kind liability for the period 2011-13 relating primarily to persons living in residential accommodation in or adjacent to national parks. I am advised that, as part of that exercise, my Department also conducted a comprehensive review of all its potential tax liabilities, but that no further liabilities or related matters emerged.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.