Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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102. To ask the Minister for Finance the portion of the recent increase in corporation tax receipts attributed to each of the factors, currency fluctuations, one-off payments, improved trading conditions and timing factors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34123/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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It is assumed that the Question is referring to the increase in Corporation Tax receipts in 2015 of €2.3 billion over 2014 receipts and the €820 million surplus in receipts this year to-date.

Information in respect of the reasons underpinning variations in Corporation Tax receipts is generally only available from analysing the annual Corporation Tax returns. Returns for 2015 are currently being filed, the data will be processed and available for analysis in early 2017. Returns for 2016 will be filed this time next year.

Notwithstanding the lack of returns information, Revenue published a detailed analysis of trends in receipts in 2014 and 2015 earlier this year, available at: . Revenue has committed to updating this analysis early next year to include trends in 2016 receipts and an analysis of factors underlying 2015 growth in receipts based on the returns data.

I am advised by Revenue that the analysis of 2015 tax receipts, along with information from Revenue's Large Cases Division, indicates that about half of the increase was from a small number of large multinationals and is attributable to a variety of reasons including improved trading conditions, positive currency fluctuations, some timing factors and a number of one-off payments. However, the Deputy may wish to note, that certain information outlined in his request such as currency fluctuations is not captured on the returns and will not be separately identifiable from other reasons associated with profit growth underpinning the increase in tax.  

Based on macroeconomic forecasts, and information from Revenue indicating that the majority of the increased receipts are not based on once-off factors (and so likely to recur), my Department forecasts receipts of Corporation Tax of €7.5 billion 2016 and €7.7 billion in 2017.