Written answers
Monday, 8 September 2025
Department of Finance
Tax Data
Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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532. To ask the Minister for Finance the annual revenue raised for the exchequer through 'motoring fines' as detailed in monthly fiscal monitors for each year since 2016 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46091/25]
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, Exchequer data is published on a monthly basis in the Fiscal Monitors and is available online at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-finance/collections/latest-fiscal-monitors/.
The figures are reproduced in the table below for the Deputy's convenience.
Non tax exchequer revenue from motoring fines (2016 to date)
Year | Total receipts (€000’s) |
---|---|
2016 | 5,606 |
2017 | 4,831 |
2018 | 4,547 |
2019 | 5,803 |
2020 | 3,588 |
2021 | 3,639 |
2022 | 319 |
2023 | 10,206 |
2024 | 5,205 |
2025 (to end-August) | 3,844 |
Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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533. To ask the Minister for Finance if 'non-tax balance of escrow fund' as detailed in the fiscal monitor represents the full interest paid on the apple tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46092/25]
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In order to comply with the 2016 State aid decision of the European Commission, €14.285 billion was recovered over the course of 2018 and placed into the Escrow Fund. This included the State aid required to be recovered and relevant EU interest. The recovery amount was calculated by the Revenue Commissioners on the basis of the Decision. In general, the Escrow Fund could not be accessed or distributed until a final ruling was made by the European Courts. However, the Decision provided that the profits subjected to tax in Ireland for the period covered by the Decision could be reduced if Apple was required to pay taxes in another jurisdiction in respect of the same profits for this period. The Escrow Deed governing the Escrow Fund provided for this possibility, referred to as Third Country Adjustments. Third Country Adjustments totalling €455 million were paid out of the Escrow Fund in 2019 and 2021.The CJEU judgment of 10 September 2024 provided the final judgment necessary for the release of the Escrow Fund. Following the CJEU’s judgment and the issue of tax assessments by the Revenue Commissioners, funds were therefore released from escrow and transferred to the Revenue Commissioners in the manner prescribed in the Escrow Framework Deed to pay the relevant tax liability. This involved the transfer of €12.667 billion to the Revenue Commissioners, for onward transfer to the Exchequer. The balance remaining in the Fund following such payments, consisting of EU interest and gains to the fund, was transferred to an account of the Minister held at The Bank of New York Mellon, London Branch (BNY) as custodian (the Account) on 24 January 2025. Following receipt of proceeds arising on the maturity of securities transferred to the Account, and after all fees and operational expenses were paid, the balance of the Fund held in the Account was transferred to the Exchequer on the direction of the Minister by means of a number of cash transfers, with the final such transfer taking place on 9 May 2025. The total amount of such transfers was €1.567 billion. The Account was closed with effect from 13 May 2025 with no assets remaining in the Account.
The Deputy references the 'non-tax balance of escrow fund' as detailed in the fiscal monitor and asked if this represents the full interest paid on the Apple tax. As outlined above this figure includes the EU interest arising as part of the recovery process as well as gains to the Escrow Fund, less fees and operational expenses of the Escrow Fund.
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