Revenue took in €3.3m in unpaid tax from social media influencers
Revenue took in over €3.3m in unpaid tax receipts from influencers, including almost €1m in interest and penalties, the tax authority's 2025 annual report published on Thursday said.
Revenue took in over €3.3m in unpaid tax receipts from influencers, including almost €1m in interest and penalties, the tax authority's 2025 annual report published on Thursday said.
The report said 145 Level 2 interventions - which are risk reviews or audits - were initiated over the year, yielding over €3.3m, covering all streams of income, including both monetary and non-monetary compensation, received by individuals engaged in content creation on social media and other online platforms. "This includes income generated directly through platform-based payments, sponsorships, brand collaborations, gifts-in-kind and other non-cash benefits."
In March 2025, Revenue confirmed it had issued more than 450 letters to online social media influencers over the past two years to remind them of their tax obligations.
The Revenue 2025 Annual Report also showed total gross receipts in 2025 were €157bn, which included €34.9bn collected on behalf of other Government departments, agencies and other EU member states. Net tax receipts were €106.5bn.
Drug interdection was a major focus for Revenue during 2025, with teams involved in 18,601 drugs seizures, with 39,099kg of drugs with a value of €191.1m seized.
"We also continue to seize nitrous oxide canisters where there are reasonable grounds to believe its importation is not for legitimate purposes," said the report. "During 2025, our teams seized 34,869 kg of nitrous oxide products with an estimated value of almost €1.3m."
In its report, Revenue also said on Thursday that completing work to facilitate the removal of the MV Matthew from Cork Harbour is a "key priority", as the State's tax authority published its 2025 annual report.
The MV Matthew was seized by elite army rangers off the Cork coast in September 2023, with €157m worth of cocaine on board. It has cost the State over €13.6m as it remains in the harbour, includes €3.3m for berthing, €5.7m for maintenance, and €4.6m for crewing.
Publishing its annual report, Revenue said the removal of the boat is being prioritised this year. Revenue has completed all registration of title requirements from Panama, and was due to have a survey and report carried out to obtain certification for the departure of the vessel from Cork, with the vessel eventually likely to be removed to a “recycling yard”.
The Revenue 2025 Annual Report also showed total gross receipts in 2025 were €157bn, which included €34.9bn collected on behalf of other Government departments, agencies and other EU member states. Net tax receipts were €106.5bn.
Total outstanding debt fell from €3.1bn to €2.3 billion over 2025.
“Timely compliance rates remained strong in 2025 at 99% for large and medium cases and 93% for other cases, the second consecutive annual increase," said Revenue chair Niall Cody. "This reflects the continued culture of strong voluntary compliance in Irish society. We thank taxpayers, businesses, traders and their agents for their continued cooperation and high levels of compliance throughout 2025.”
At December 31 2025 there were 18,653 phased payment arrangements (PPAs) worth €1bn in place, a system which allows taxpayers maintain compliance during temporary difficulties. The PPAs included €708m under the Debt Warehouse Scheme (DWS), which allowed businesses to defer debts.
In 2025, Revenue teams carried out over 237,000 audit and compliance interventions yielding €734m, with a further €41.7m yielded from tax avoidance cases.
The report said upcoming key changes to Revenue policy include the introduction of a fixed customs duty charge on consignments to individuals valued at less than €150 entering the EU from July 1, 2026, including imports to Ireland from Britain. An EU customs handling charge to cover the increasing costs of managing e-commerce goods within the EU will follow from November 1, followed by the commencement of an EU customs data hub for e-commerce consignments from mid-2028.
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