The publication of the Finance Bill today should herald some measures to close off tax loopholes and counter tax evasion but is unlikely to make any moves to curb the use of offshore accounts.
There will also be provisions to reflect the changeover to the euro at the end of 1998.
The Government is expected to await the findings of the Moriarty tribunal before deciding whether it needs to give additional powers to the Revenue Commissioners to investigate offshore accounts.
The tribunal is undertaking an investigation into the use of offshore bank accounts and, under its terms of reference, is obliged to make recommendations on any necessary amendments to Irish tax law it believes should be made to counter tax evasion.
The Government will also be closely listening to the evidence given to the tribunal by the Revenue Commissioners. It will be mindful of warnings by the Revenue chairman, Mr Cathal MacDomhnail, that, if it were given powers to open up bank accounts solely on the basis of suspecting tax evasion, "a lot of money would leave the country".
A possible change in the Finance Bill in the arrangements for the submission of income tax returns and payment of preliminary tax by the self employed and proprietary directors has also been flagged.
It has been indicated that the Revenue would like to see the date for filing individual income tax returns moved from January 31st to November 31st of the previous year. The due date for the payment of preliminary tax would then be moved from November 1st to November 30th.
The Small Firms Association last night called on the Minister for Finance to defer that proposal until full consultation and an examination of the issues involved is undertaken. The change would harm small companies, it warned.
SFA director, Mr Brendan Butler, said the change would reduce the time available to prepare accounts and tax returns by up to two months, while allowing an extra month before the tax has to be paid.
"The timescale for preparation and submission of tax returns and accounts is already very tight. Income tax returns are issued by the Revenue Commissioners in April each year, leaving seven months in which all self employed people and proprietary directors must submit their accounts. This is not a once off adjustment, the change will effect every tax year and every self employed taxpayer," he said.
Other measures have already been signalled in the Bill's preliminary list announced last month. Donations by companies to all charities will become tax deductable - and will no longer be confined to domestic charities. The definition of cider is also to be amended to ensure that cider-based alcoholic lemonades do not benefit from the lower rate of duty for cider. The list also confirms the tax measures announced in the December Budget.
