Revenue publishes headline results for 2024
Today, 07/01/2025, Revenue published preliminary results for 2024, including tax and duty collected, services provided to customers, timely compliance rates and yield from a range of compliance and enforcement interventions. Commenting on these results, Revenue Chairman, Niall Cody, said:
“The Exchequer returns for 2024 were published yesterday, showing receipts of €107 billion in taxes and duties. In addition, Revenue collected over €30 billion on behalf of other Departments, Agencies and EU Member States.
Timely compliance rates also remained strong across all taxes, notwithstanding the exceptional disruption which taxpayers have faced in recent years. This is testament to the importance that society places on voluntary and timely tax compliance. Revenue supports this culture by providing a wide range of services that make it as easy as possible for taxpayers to understand and meet their obligations. We thank businesses, individual taxpayers and agents for their positive engagement throughout 2024.
Although the vast majority of taxpayers pay the right amount of tax at the right time, we remain committed to tackling tax and duty non-compliance in all forms. 2024 saw a continuation of our work in managing risk, using a range of real-time data analytics and risk assessment programmes to ensure that our compliance resources focus on the non-compliant taxpayer.
Our success is underpinned by our ability to harness innovations in technology and business practices. By leveraging the benefits of technology to gain additional data insights we are able to respond effectively to emerging risk in both traditional and evolving sectors across the entirety of the tax base, from large multi-national enterprises to individuals engaging in business activities through online platforms and social media.”
A key element of Revenue’s service to support compliance is providing taxpayers with appropriate and timely information and guidance, and supporting them in understanding new taxes and reporting rules. Commenting on some of the key priorities for Revenue in this space during 2024, Niall Cody highlighted:
“We are working with affected multi-national enterprises and agents to ensure the successful application of the minimum effective corporation tax (Pillar Two) rules, and during 2024 we issued detailed guidance regarding the implementation of these rules.
We also worked with the Department of Social Protection and Workplace Relations Commission to update the Code of Practice on Determining Employment Status, and separately on the development of our own guidelines on the impact of the October 2023 Supreme Court judgement in The Revenue Commissioners v. Karshan (Midlands) Ltd. t/a Domino’s Pizza. We will work with employers who, having considered the impact the judgement may have for them, wish to regularise their position as set out in our Code of Practice for Revenue Compliance Interventions.”
Speaking of Revenue’s ongoing commitment to invest in and leverage technological developments, with a view to continually enhancing its service to support compliance, Revenue Commissioner, Ruth Kennedy, added:
“Our continued investment in our technological capability also enables us to develop business solutions that help drive efficiency and quality. During 2024 we used innovative technology to introduce a new “Hold my place in queue” feature as part of our phone service. This eliminates holding periods on our phone lines by allowing taxpayers to leave their contact details and subsequently receive a call back from Revenue once their call reaches the top of the queue.
We also launched our first generative AI digital assistant, RevAssist, for use by Revenue staff. RevAssist, which is trained on content in our existing suite of Tax and Duty Manuals, will simplify and expedite our responses to taxpayer contacts. We look forward to further integrating these technologies, and other innovative developments, into our business processes as we continue our pathway to service evolution.”
During 2024 Revenue completed almost 311,000 audit and compliance interventions which yielded €591 million, and settled 256 tax avoidance cases yielding €46 million. We also secured 20 criminal convictions for serious tax evasion and fraud and published 74 tax settlements in the List of Tax Defaulters. Commenting on Revenue’s approach to confronting non-compliance, Commissioner Kennedy, said:
“We leverage our vast data holdings and make full use of the statutory powers and exchange of information provisions at our disposal to proactively identify and challenge schemes and transactions that create an unfair tax advantage for those involved, and display indicators of tax avoidance or tax evasion. This provides for a proportionate intervention response, based on taxpayer behaviour and the particular risks identified, reducing the likelihood of a compliance intervention for compliant taxpayers.
The enhancement of real-time reporting carried out by employers since the introduction of PAYE Modernisation has also resulted in tighter controls being implemented by employers, to ensure that the correct tax treatment is applied to specific payments, expenses and benefits at the time they are given or paid to an employee”.
The introduction of real-time payroll reporting has also led to a year-on-year increase in the number of PAYE taxpayers managing their own tax affairs. Speaking about online services available to PAYE taxpayers, Commissioner Kennedy continued:
“Revenue’s myAccount service is quick, easy and free to use, and is available 24/7 all year round. This makes it as easy as possible for PAYE taxpayers to manage their own tax affairs at a time that suits them. We use all information available to us, including real-time payroll data provided by employers, to prepopulate returns and taxpayers can use the myAccount service to make any corrections or additions required to their Revenue record.
Therefore, for the vast majority of PAYE taxpayers, submitting a return and finalising their tax position is a straightforward process they can complete themselves. During 2024 we processed nearly 1.4 million Income Tax Returns for PAYE taxpayers in respect of the 2023 year of assessment and, during the first week of 2025, over 175,000 PAYE taxpayers have already filed a return in respect of the 2024 year of assessment.”
Revenue has remained abreast of new and emerging trends and risks in relation to the trade of illicit products. Commending Revenue’s highly effective frontier controls, Commissioner Kennedy, Acting Director-General of Customs, remarked:
“Building on the successes our enforcement teams achieved last year, we have continued to disrupt and dismantle the core supply chains of those involved in criminal activity. During 2024 our teams seized a record breaking 112 million cigarettes, valued at over €95 million, and 64,000 kilos of drugs with an estimated value of almost €215 million. There has also been a significant increase in the number of individual seizures of cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy and other drugs intended to be smuggled or illegally imported into the State.
Our teams have a wide range of assets at their disposal, and excellent working relationships with our national and international law enforcement partners, and we remain committed to identifying, targeting and disrupting illegal activity and organised crime.”
The pro-active management of the Debt Warehouse Scheme (DWS) was a key priority for Revenue during 2024 and €3 billion (94%) of the €3.2 billion included in the warehouse at its peak in January 2022 has now been either settled or secured under a Phased Payment Arrangement (PPA). Just over 7,000 businesses that availed of the scheme failed to engage meaningfully with Revenue to address their warehoused debt ahead of the key deadline of 1 May 2024 and were subsequently removed from the warehouse.
Speaking about ongoing compliance with the terms of the DWS, Commissioner Kennedy said:
“Revenue has a proven track record in supporting taxpayers with outstanding tax liabilities, and Revenue extended considerable flexibility to taxpayers entering PPAs in respect of warehoused debt.
We continue to monitor compliance with the terms of any PPAs agreed for warehoused debt, including the requirement to keep current returns and payments up to date, and confirm that 97% of all PPAs covering warehoused debt are being honoured. Revenue acknowledges the high level of engagement from businesses and their agents throughout the duration of the DWS and, in particular, in the lead up to the 1 May 2024 deadline.”
Unpaid taxes of €1.8 billion remain available for collection outside the DWS and Revenue’s Debt Management System is now fully deployed in dealing with these outstanding liabilities. During the course of 2024, 57,000 referrals were made to our enforcement agents, resulting in the collection of almost €230 million. Speaking about the importance of timely and early engagement with Revenue where difficulties arise, Commissioner Kennedy, said:
“All businesses, irrespective of whether they availed of the DWS or not, are reminded that if they are struggling to pay current taxes or meet monthly payments under an ongoing PPA they should engage with Revenue as soon as these difficulties arise, so that a mutually acceptable solution, which takes account of the taxpayer’s financial circumstances, can be found.
As has always been the case, Revenue’s clear preference is to work with taxpayers where such difficulties arise. However, where there is no meaningful engagement by a taxpayer to resolve outstanding returns or payments due, Revenue will proceed with appropriate collection and enforcement action to recover the debt.”
Looking ahead to the first half of 2025, Niall Cody highlighted some of the key property tax pay and file obligations which will fall due:
“The deadline for payment of 2025 Local Property Tax (LPT) liabilities is fast approaching on Friday 10 January 2025. Any property owner who has not yet made arrangements to pay should take this opportunity to contact Revenue and ensure they have met their obligations. Where a property owner has opted to pay their 2025 LPT by Annual Debit Instruction, the payment will be processed on 21 March 2025.
The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) will also come into force later this year and will apply to land which is zoned and serviced for residential use. Local Authorities will publish the revised map for 2025, showing land that is within the scope of RZLT, by 31 January 2025 and Revenue’s RZLT registration portal will also open at that time. The first RZLT returns and liabilities will be due in May 2025 and Revenue will support landowners as they try to understand their pay and file obligations.”
In conclusion, Niall Cody added:
“Revenue remains dedicated and committed to serving Ireland, through the implementation and administration of effective tax and customs controls on behalf of the State. Our continued success in delivering on our mission throughout 2024 would not have been possible without the hard work and professionalism of our people. Commissioners Gerry Harrahill, Ruth Kennedy and I would like to acknowledge and thank all Revenue staff for their contribution and service, the continuation of which will ensure that 2025 is another year of exceptional performance.
The beginning of 2025 also marks the conclusion of Gerry Harrahill’s term as Revenue Commissioner and Director-General of Customs. Gerry has made a major contribution throughout his career to Revenue, on a national and international level, and we thank him for his dedication to the organisation and wider public service values and commitments.”
Separately, Revenue also published a statistical infographic in relation to the DWS.
Headline Results 2024
Headline Results 2024 Infographic
[ENDS 07/01/2025]