Revenue publishes headline results for 2019

Today (07/01/2020), Revenue published preliminary results for 2019 including tax and duty collected, services provided to customers, timely compliance rates, and yield from a range of compliance and enforcement interventions. Data arising from the successful reform of the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system and Revenue’s support for preparations by trade and businesses for Brexit were also published.

Commenting on the results, Revenue Chairman, Niall Cody, said

“Against the backdrop of continued strong growth in the economy, Revenue collected total net receipts of €73.9 billion in 2019, including €58.4 billion in taxes and duties for the Exchequer and €15.5 billion on behalf of other Departments, Agencies and EU member States.

Along with increased Exchequer receipts, there was continued very high levels of timely, voluntary compliance, reflecting the fact that the vast majority of taxpayers do the right thing and pay the right amount of tax, on time. We are very conscious of the need to support taxpayers to be voluntarily compliant by providing quality service in a timely, cost effective way. We optimise our service through continued investment in high quality and secure digital and self-service channels. We acknowledge and appreciate the engagement of taxpayers, and that of tax practitioners and agents, in the very strong compliance that was a feature of the year just gone.”

Commenting on the new real time reporting arrangements for PAYE, which came into operation on 1 January 2019, Ms Ruth Kennedy, Revenue’s Project Manager for PAYE Modernisation, said

“the introduction of real-time reporting for PAYE was the most significant reform of the administration of the PAYE system since its introduction in 1960. In 2019, over 181,600 employers made 6.1 million payroll submissions, reporting gross pay and pensions of over €98 billion. The total Income Tax, USC and PRSI paid to the Exchequer for 2019 was €31.6 billion. 

The new real-time reporting arrangements also bring tangible benefits for employees, including the ability to view their payroll details (pay, tax, USC and PRSI), as reported to Revenue by their employer, through myAccount. To date more than 191,000 such taxpayers have availed of this service. Revenue is also providing employees with an online Employment Detail Summary in myAccount, which replaces the Form P60. The Employment Detail Summary provides the employee’s income and deduction details for 2019, as reported to Revenue by their employer and can be used in the same manner as the Form P60, for example, as proof of income to a third party.”

In relation to Brexit, Mr Cody stated that

“Revenue’s Brexit preparedness and contingency planning is strongly focused on supporting and helping businesses to plan and prepare for Brexit. In 2019, we appointed 588 staff to Brexit-related roles. We had significant engagement with businesses that trade with the UK, writing to over 103,000 businesses with Brexit preparatory advice, and contacting almost 29,000 business via telephone. As a result of these engagement programmes, there was a significant increase in customs registrations with over 24,100 businesses acquiring an Economic Operator and Identification (EORI) number in 2019.”

Highlighting the range of actions Revenue undertakes to confront non-compliance, Mr Cody said

“during 2019, we completed over 567,000 compliance interventions, yielding €547.6 million, seized 259 unlicensed gaming machines, settled 127 tax avoidance cases yielding €29 million and secured 15 criminal convictions for serious tax evasion and fraud. We also published 214 tax settlements in the List of Tax Defaulters. We continue to target and disrupt all forms of shadow economy and illegal activity. Last year Revenue seized over 13 million cigarettes worth €8.5 million and 3,229 kilos of drugs with an estimated value of over €23.5 million.”

Mr Cody reiterated Revenue’s message about the importance of early engagement if compliance challenges, such as temporary cash flow or trading difficulties, emerge for a business.

“Sending in returns on time and agreeing a payment arrangement with Revenue is the most sensible and effective way to address such challenges. We work very successfully with businesses and individuals who engage with us to resolve their payment difficulties as evidenced by the fact that, at the end of 2019, we had phased payment arrangements in place with over 6,358 businesses and individuals covering €73 million in debt.”

The preliminary results can be viewed here:

Ends {07/01/2019}