Revenue to tighten noose on evaders

THE Revenue Commissioners have pledged to come down heavily on tax evaders in its latest strategy statement which was presented to Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy yesterday.

Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners Frank Daly said it is their intention to deliver a sharp, uncompromising response to evasion and default while providing high quality services to compliant tax and duty payers.

"In other words we make compliance easy while making non-compliance very unattractive," he said. And Mr Daly said it is their intention to increase the exchange of information agreements with other countries, which will support investigations into tax evasion. This is the Revenue's fourth Statement of Strategy and covers the next three years work.

It sets out a number of priority areas which have been selected against a background of major change to Revenue's structure designed to improve the organisation's capacity to deliver its goals and develop its business processes. Major proposed developments include:

An extensive programme of organisational restructuring.

A roll-out of a sophisticated case targeting system.

Increased e-Business.

Major investment in staff training and development.

The Revenue also hopes to use media campaigns to increase confidence in the evenhandedness of tax administration.

"Delivering on the commitments in this Statement represents a significant but exciting challenge for Revenue over the next three years. But we are embracing this challenge with enthusiasm and we will deliver just as we have always done in our 80 years of service to this country," said Mr Daly.

Mr Daly said the Revenue will employ all the powers and resources available to them in tackling cases of evasion and smuggling.

"The establishment of a dedicated Prosecutions Division in 2002 is evidence of this commitment.

"We expect a significant increase in the number of successful criminal prosecutions over the period of this Statement," he added.

Speaking at the launch of the strategy Minister McCreevy said: "I note the very clear connection made in your strategies between compliance and the key task of Revenue collecting the tax and duties which fund most of our Exchequer spending. This is the bottom line that I always keep an eye on and the one by which success or otherwise will be judged."