Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Minister for Finance the current number of Revenue Commissioners staff, by grade, that answer the personal PAYE hotline number; if he has plans to increase the number of these staff, given that many older people are not able to use computers and or do not have access to the internet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5299/23]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the early months of each year place the highest demand on Revenue’s PAYE Services as taxpayers submit their income tax returns for the previous year, claim any refunds or reliefs to which they may be entitled, and check their tax credits for the current year. As of close of business on 30 January 2023, Revenue have advised me that the PAYE Helpline staff have answered over 66,200 calls and processed over 113,000 items of correspondence received through its online services or the postal system.

Further, Revenue have advised me that it currently has a total of 267 Clerical Officers (COs) and 98 Executive Officers (EOs) providing the full range of PAYE services. Of those officers, approximately 130 COs are on phone duties with the remainder working on correspondence received online or via the postal system. The EOs are allocated to support the phones and correspondence in a similar proportion. 

Revenue allocates resources to best meet the demand of the various services required and the current arrangement whereby the phone service is available from 9:30am to 1:30pm each day provides the optimum allocation of available resources to deal with the volume of submissions through post and online as well as through the phone service.  

For taxpayers who may not have access to the online services, extensive support is provided across the various Revenue telephone helplines, in addition to the comprehensive service provided for queries received through the postal system.

Additionally, Revenue provides an in-person appointment service at their offices in Dublin; Cork; Limerick and Galway. This service allows customers to schedule an appointment at a time that suits them by calling the Appointment Helpline on 01 738 3660, from 9.30am to 1.30pm, Monday to Friday. The in-person appointment service complements the existing virtual appointment service which largely reduces the need to visit in-person. Virtual appointments may also be arranged through the Appointment Helpline.