Only a low level of monies owed to the Revenue Commissioners and identified by reports such as Ansbacher has been collected, the Fine Gael spokesman on enterprise and employment, Mr Phil Hogan, claimed.
Mr Hogan asked if the Revenue Commissioners had insufficient evidence to collect the outstanding money. "What action is required to redress the matter, which was identified in the Ansbacher report?"
The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, said she had recently reviewed all the outstanding issues relating to the matter insofar as they fell under the remit of her Department.
"I am satisfied they have all been taken on board. Many of them were dealt with in advance of the (Ansbacher) report in any event, as we were aware of what would emerge.
"At the time, we did not have much by way of enforcement of company law."
She added that she was impressed with the changes in the attitude of the Revenue Commissioners in recent years.
"They implement the law without fear or favour. Clearly, they have to undo a whole culture, which will take some time. Many of the issues coming to light arose as a result of inquiries of one kind or another. It is going to take some time. It pleases me that they have both the powers to ensure that everybody pays the tax due and the determination to enforce those powers."
Mr Brendan Howlin (Labour,Wexford) said that following the Ansbacher report, the Tánaiste had introduced legislation to regulate auditors.
He asked if she had any other professions within her view to tighten regulations on foot of the revelations in the Ansbacher report.
Ms Harney said that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, would introduce legislation to require members of the legal profession to report suspected instances of people involved in unsavoury activity.
"All professions, particularly those with considerable protection under our law, have a responsibility to bring such activity to the attention of the authorities. We must legislate for this in the case of accountants. This has been done in the case of lawyers."
