DONEGAL has the fifth
highest rate in the country for failing to make
income tax returns, a new report shows.
Donegal recorded 864 offences in the period between
2002 and 2014, the equivalent of 536 cases per
100,000 of population.
The findings are part of a special report by the RTÉ
Investigations Unit which analysed Revenue
Commissioners data on more than 11,000 people. It
covers those convicted of failing to make income tax
returns over a 13-year period.
County Roscommon had the highest rate of
convictions, where the number of cases per 100,000
of population was 671. That was almost ten times
higher than the lowest in Kilkenny, where the rate
was just 68 per 100,000.
High rates were also recorded across the North West
and Midlands where Longford, Leitrim, Offaly, and
Donegal joined Roscommon to make up the top five.
The report's authors said that it was important to
note that enforcement rates can differ according to
county.
The construction sector had more than double the
offenders of any other sector, and accounted for
over a third of all the convictions.
Farmers accounted for the biggest number of tax
convictions. They made up 10.4% of the Revenue list,
followed by company directors (4.7%), builders
(3.5%) and building contractors (3.2%).
More than €20 million was paid in fines on foot of
these tax convictions.
Men accounted for the overwhelming majority of the
convictions in the Revenue data, with 94.2% of the
cases involving males.
Clusters of Revenue activity can be spotted
throughout the data where specific counties or
industries appear to be targeted in a particular
year.
More of the report and rates from each county is
available at
www.rte.ie/iu/tax . |
