Revenue swoop on pensioners nets €90m

A Revenue swoop to force pensioners to pay tax on state allowances has yielded nearly €90m.

At the beginning of 2012, Revenue bosses wrote to 150,000 pensioners to inform them that they must declare state pensions as well as private incomes. The move netted €24.5m for the years prior to 2012, and €65m since then.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan, responding to a parliamentary question said: “Where underpayments of tax were discovered, PAYE balancing statements and amended notices of assessment were issued to the taxpayers concerned in respect of the particular years reviewed and discussions were held with regard to collection of arrears due.”