Revenue to get more phone power

19 July 2009  By Kathleen Barrington

The government is planning to give the Revenue Commissioners more powers to identify the users of mobile phones in an effort to crack down on tax evasion. The measure would allow the Revenue access to data in order identify the subscriber or user of a mobile phone. The details are contained in the Communications (Retention of Data) Bill published last week.

It provides that a principal officer or higher Revenue official may request a service provider to hand over the data where the officer is satisfied the data is required for ‘‘the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of a revenue offence’’. The proposed powers come at a time when it is known that the Revenue Commissioners have stepped up ‘‘drop-in’’ visits to retailers countrywide as previously reported in The Sunday Business Post.

One of the things the Revenue officials have been noting during their unannounced visits are the telephone numbers of service providers displayed on windows and community notice boards. This bill would allow them to identify who provides the ‘‘English grinds’’ or ‘‘piano lessons’’ and chase them for the tax.

‘‘Unregistered mobile phone numbers are no longer a cover, as the Revenue can seek information on the usual location of the phone under this new legislation," said one accountant familiar with the proposed legislation.