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Press Release - 5 March 2003 (Re Special Report "Redress for Taxpayers")

Press Release - 5 March 2003 (Re Special Report "Redress for Taxpayers")

Office of the Ombudsman

Ombudsman Special Report: 'Redress for Taxpayers'

OMBUDSMAN KEVIN MURPHY WELCOMES MINISTER'S DECISION THAT ALL OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS BE IMPLEMENTED.

The Ombudsman, Kevin Murphy, has warmly welcomed the Minister for Finance's announcement that all of the recommendations in his Special Report to the Oireachtas "Redress for Taxpayers" will be implemented. The Ombudsman said that he appreciated the Minister's decision, in co-operation with the Revenue Commissioners, to pay compensation for loss of value to the public service widows and others concerned despite the present budgetary pressures. The Ombudsman added that the Minister has affirmed the proud record of the Office of the Ombudsman in having the authority of its recommendations recognised.

Background:
The Ombudsman issued a Special Report to both Houses of the Oireachtas on 6 November 2002 because the Revenue Commissioners had rejected three of his five recommendations following his investigation of a number of complaints against the Revenue Commissioners. The rejected recommendations concerned compensation for loss in value of wrongly delayed tax refunds to certain public service widows and a group of 10 other taxpayers, and a recommendation that Revenue introduce a scheme to compensate taxpayers in cases where refunds were delayed due to maladministration. Measures to provide redress to the affected taxpayers have now been introduced by the Minister for Finance in the context of the Finance Bill, 2003. The measures fully meet the terms of the Ombudsman's recommendations.

The Ombudsman's Special Report, together with press releases and other background material, is available on the Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.ie.

Further information: Contact David Waddell at (01) 639 5610 or Aoife Nic Réamoinn at (01) 639 5661.