Institute of Public Administration made settlement of €126,688 with Revenue

The body charged with improving the standard of public administration in the country made a €126,688 settlement with the Revenue Commissioners in 2014.

The settlement is disclosed in the Institute of Public Administration’s 2014 annual report which also reveals that the IPA’s director general Brian Cawley received total remuneration, including pension payments, of €256,365 for the year.

A note attached to the accounts in the IPA’s annual report reveals that the €126,688 settlement with Revenue arose from an unprompted voluntary disclosure by the IPA.

The note states that the IPA changed its payment arrangements for its associate lecturing staff to payroll during 2014.

It stated historically, the IPA made payments to associate lecturing staff without deducting PAYE/PRSI and had provided details of payments made to the Revenue on relevant tax returns.

The note adds: “During 2014, following clarification from the Revenue Commissioners, the IPA commenced payment to these staff through the normal payroll system.”

It goes on: “In September 2014 the IPA made an unprompted voluntary disclosure in relation to employer’s PRSI related to payments made to associate staff during 2013 and 2014.

"The disclosure included employer’s PRSI of €117,899, interest of €8,799 and penalties of €2,162.

“The Revenue Commissioners accepted a settlement of €126,688 as the penalty element did not apply where a voluntary disclosure is made”.

Elsewhere in the report, the financial statements confirm that Mr Cawley’s 2014 remuneration was made up of €175,407 in salary; pension contributions of €63,848; and employer’s PRSI of €17,110.