Revenue publishes 2024 Annual Report
On 30/04/25, Revenue announced the publication of its 2024 Annual Report, together with a number of other research and statistical papers.
The report shows that total gross receipts during 2024 were €152.9 billion, which included €30.9 billion of non-Exchequer receipts collected on behalf of other Government Departments and agencies, and other EU States. Net tax receipts during 2024 were €107.1 billion.
Commenting on today’s publication, Revenue Chairman, Niall Cody, said:
“Timely compliance rates remained high across all taxes, at 99% for both large and medium cases and 92% for all other cases. This is a slight increase on timely compliance rates for 2023, and shows that the vast majority of taxpayers pay the right amount of tax at the right time.
We support this culture of high voluntary compliance 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 their agents, for their positive engagement throughout 2024.”
Exiting the Debt Warehouse
One of our key priorities during 2024 was assisting businesses to exit the debt warehouse scheme (DWS) in a viable manner. Over 93% (€3 billion) of the debt included in the warehouse at its peak in January 2022 has now been either settled in full or secured under a phased payment arrangement (PPA).
Just over 7,000 businesses that availed of the scheme failed to engage with us to formulate a plan to pay their warehoused debt. The debt owed by these businesses, which amounted to just over €100 million at that time, was subsequently removed from the warehouse. Normal collection and enforcement proceedings applied to this debt thereafter.
Reflecting on businesses engagement with the DWS, Mr. Cody noted:
“The vast majority of PPAs set up to pay warehoused debt (97%) are being actively adhered to, and payments of approximately €30 million are being collected through these arrangements each month.
These results are testament to the pragmatic and flexible approach we adopted in assisting businesses to exit the warehouse. We acknowledge the high level of engagement from businesses and their agents throughout the duration of the scheme and, in particular, in the lead up to the 1 May 2024 deadline."
Enhancing self-service options
Our service delivery model is ‘Digital First’, which means that we prioritise our extensive online services and electronic channels as a means of supporting and facilitating voluntary compliance. This model is based on growing expectations from taxpayers and their agents for increased availability of services on a 24 hour basis, and increasing preferences for self-serve options.
During 2024 we saw unprecedented levels of activity through our online and electronic service channels. For example, there were 25.4 million logins to our myAccount service, we processed 60.5 million customs declarations, and we received electronic payments to the value of €136.4 billion.
Addressing our commitment to facilitate taxpayers to manage their tax affairs at a time that suits them, Revenue Commissioner, Ruth Kennedy, commented:
“Our online services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are the quickest, easiest and most convenient way for taxpayers, businesses, agents, and traders to engage with us. In most cases, it will be possible for the relevant transaction to be completed instantaneously, without any need for further contact with us.
We are committed to continually improving our service offering and will continue to exploit technological advancements to further enhance self-service options where possible.”
Promoting tax awareness
Another key element in our approach to empower taxpayers and businesses to self-serve is ensuring that they are aware of and understand their tax and customs obligations. Our public repository of almost 1,300 Tax and Duty Manuals sets out the rules and guidelines on a wide range of tax and duty matters. These supports are further supplemented by a range of public awareness and information campaigns, and our comprehensive program of outreach events.
We are, however, aware that there are some individuals who may not have access to our online services, and we continue to facilitate these taxpayers through alternative delivery channels. During 2024, our teams dealt with over 6 million direct engagements, through telephone calls and items of correspondence. We also facilitated almost 78,000 visits to our public offices during 2024.
Discussing the importance of ensuring taxpayers are aware of their obligations, Revenue Commissioner, Maura Kiely, advised:
“The tax system operates on the basis of self-assessment. Taxpayers are responsible for ensuring that they provide us with full and complete information about their tax affairs. We do, however, recognise that situations may arise when normally compliant taxpayers may be unaware of the tax obligations applicable in respect of a particular transaction or life event, or may fail to meet their obligations on time.
Our Compliance Intervention Framework provides taxpayers with a range of opportunities to voluntarily regularise their tax affairs in such scenarios, including self-review, self-correction, and making an unprompted qualifying disclosure. These opportunities help taxpayers to get things right as easily and cost effectively as possible, and reduces their exposure to a heavier level of penalty and the potential for publication or prosecution.”
Confronting non-compliance
Whilst those who are non-compliant are in the minority, we remain committed to identifying and confronting non-compliance in all its forms. During 2024 we carried out over 272,000 audit and compliance interventions, which yielded €591 million, and conducted another 46,000 appraisals. We also closed 256 tax avoidance cases, yielding a further €46 million.
Publication on the lists of tax defaulters and prosecution in the Courts are other important deterrents in our fight against non-compliance. During 2024 we published details of settlements and court imposed penalties, amounting to €32.5 million, in respect of 104 taxpayers, and secured 168 convictions before the Courts.
Highlighting the work we do to identify and confront non-compliance, Commissioner Kiely remarked:
“Our ongoing compliance work focuses on multiple risk areas, in both traditional and emerging business sectors, and utilises a range of risk identification programmes. These processes are supported by real-time data analytics and the interrogation of both taxpayer and third-party information.
We use this analysis to determine if a compliance intervention should be conducted. The nature of any such intervention is based on the specific risks identified and the behaviour of the taxpayer concerned. This means that the intervention will be carried out in the most efficient manner possible, in terms of time and resources, whilst properly addressing the perceived risks.
This approach minimises costs for compliant taxpayers, ensures that tax legislation is not used in a way that was not intended, and ensures a level playing field for all businesses - all of which are essential elements of our core business of collecting the taxes and duties due to the State in a fair and efficient manner.”
Implementing effective frontier management
Building on the successes which our enforcement teams achieved in 2023, we continued to disrupt and dismantle the core supply chains of those involved in criminal activity. During 2024, we conducted over 16,500 seizures of drugs and illicit tobacco products, seizing goods to the value of almost €343 million.
Outlining the effective frontier controls we have in place, Commissioner Kennedy observed:
“Smuggling and concealment techniques have become increasingly inventive and complex. Some of the more elaborate concealment techniques uncovered by our teams include purpose-built hidden compartments within the floor area of articulated trucks, concealments within the door of a refrigerated trailer, and deep concealments within industrial machinery.
We use advanced risk analysis and profiling to continually monitor trends and developments in this space. We also develop and share intelligence on a national, EU, and international basis. This approach enables us to utilise the latest detection methods and technologies, and ensures that we deploy our resources in the most effective way possible.”
Driving capability and innovation
We continue to deliver on our vision of being an employer of choice, and are proud to invest in our people. Some notable developments in this space during 2024 include:
- the launch of a new Employee Engagement Charter, which outlines the values and principals which guide us in delivering on our goals
- the delivery of over 32,000 training days to our people, to ensure they have the skills and knowledge required to perform at the highest standard
- and
- engagement in projects such as the North East Inner City Initiative and the Civil Service Assisted Return to Career Programme, as a means of expanding the career pathways into Revenue.
We continued our internal programme of modernisation, exploring and trialling ways in which we can utilise technological advances, including AI, to transform our processes. We also made further progress on our Climate Action Roadmap, continuing the retirement of aging technology stacks from our estate, reducing our fleet, and consolidating staff into fewer offices.
Looking ahead
Looking towards the future, Niall Cody stated:
“We remain committed to our core task of fairly and efficiently collecting the taxes and duties due to the State. As part of this, we will continue to provide high-quality services and supports to taxpayers, to facilitate voluntary compliance and enable taxpayers to engage with us at a time and place of their choosing.
We will continue to monitor compliance with PPAs set up to deal with warehoused debt. Business with PPAs in place are reminded that our online PPA facility enables them to self-manage any adjustments they may need to make to the terms of their arrangement.
Outside the debt warehouse, the level of tax debt available for collection at the end of 2024 was significantly higher than it was at the end of 2019. Our Debt Management Service system is now fully deployed in dealing with these liabilities, and we will continue to use all elements of this system to reduce this balance.
We have a strong track record in successfully working with individuals and businesses to resolve their payment difficulties without resorting to enforcement action. All taxpayers, irrespective of whether they availed of the DWS or not, are reminded that if they are struggling to pay current taxes, they should engage with us as soon as these difficulties arise, so that a mutually acceptable solution can be found.”
We will continue to strengthen voluntary compliance through education and awareness. This will include the continuation of our outreach programs and information campaigns. A key focus area for this activity in the months ahead will be the provision of guidance to property owners ahead of the 2025 LPT revaluation process. We have also published guidance outlining site owners’ obligations in respect of the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT).
RZLT is designed to prompt residential development on land that is zoned and serviced for residential use. The tax applies from 2025 onwards, and Local Authorities have prepared and published maps identifying land that is within the scope of RZLT for 2025. Site owners are reminded that the first RZLT returns and associated liabilities are due on or before 23 May 2025. Further information on the steps site owners should take, ahead of this date, can be found here.
We will continue our work to disrupt and dismantle core supply chains used by those involved in smuggling and illicit trade. This will include the continued collaboration with our national and international law enforcement partners. Our capabilities will be particularly strengthened by the launch of a new Customs Cutter, which is expected to come into service in late 2025, and the deployment of a new high energy X-ray gantry system, as part of ongoing redevelopment work at Rosslare Europort.
As we did throughout 2024, we will continue to represent Ireland at international fora, and support the Department of Finance in its ongoing evaluation and development of the tax and duty policy framework. Particular areas of focus in that regard will be global tax changes and EU developments in the VAT and customs arenas.
Conclusion
In concluding, Niall Cody added:
“Commissioners Kennedy, Kiely and I would like to thank all Revenue staff for their professionalism, drive, and commitment, without which our achievements in 2024 would not have been possible.
Finally, we acknowledge and thank the Revenue staff who have retired in the past year, many of whom dedicated 40 or more years of service to the State, including Commissioner Gerry Harrahill who retired in January 2025.”
[ENDS 30/04/2025]