Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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175. To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he has taken to reduce shadow economy activity and to increase electronic payment transactions to counter such activity; if he has set targets for increased electronic payment transactions; the cost of meeting such targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter [46418/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Individuals and businesses that operate within the shadow economy gain an unfair competitive advantage compared to legitimate, tax compliant businesses and deprive the Exchequer of much needed revenues.  The Deputy will be aware that I have introduced a number of legislative measures in recent years aimed at countering the effects of shadow economy activity.  These include:

- the licensing regime for auto fuel traders which was strengthened to limit the ability of criminals to get laundered fuel onto the market;

- a new licensing regime for marked fuel traders which is designed to limit the ability of criminals to source marked fuel for laundering;

- requirements in relation to fuel traders' records of stock movements and fuel deliveries to ensure data is available to Revenue to assist in supply chain analysis;

- a 'reckless trading' provision that makes a supplier who is reckless in supplying rebated fuel for a use connected with excise fraud liable for the duty evaded;

- the Home Renovation Incentive the aim of which is to support tax compliant building contractors by moving activity out of the shadow economy into the legitimate economy. I have also extended the scheme in the recent Budget to include owners of rental properties who are subject to income tax;

- a range of amendments in the recent Finance Bill (2015), to give Revenue extended powers to obtain information from financial institutions and other third parties.

I am advised that Revenue has a facility on its website that allows a person to report instances of tax evasion.  Information and the reporting form can be accessed through the following link:  . Any such report will be followed through by Revenue. Revenue is a fully integrated tax and customs administration currently has approximately 2,000 staff countrywide engaged on activities that are dedicated to targeting and confronting non-compliance, in all its forms. These activities include anti-smuggling and anti-evasion, investigation and prosecution, audit, assurance checks, anti-avoidance, returns compliance and debt collection.  Over the last few years a number of measures have been implemented to tackle Ireland's high level of cash usage. The latest of these were contained in the Budget 2016 speech where I set out two important reforms to incentivise debit card usage over cash. The first was a reform of Stamp Duty, which changed it from a 'per-card' Stamp Duty currently levied into a 'per-ATM withdrawal' levy.  I also announced a reduction in the so-called interchange fees paid by retailers every time they accept a debit or credit card.  Since 2006 usage of debit cards has quadrupled in volume and trebled in value to almost €20bn last year.  The additional measures announced in the Budget are likely to accelerate card usage still further.