€87.9m yielded under doctors’ tax drive

 The total yield under Revenue’s ‘medical consultants compliance programme’ is nearing €90 million, the Medical Independent (MI) can report.

Between 2013 and the end of 2021, the yield in tax, uplift, interest and penalties was €87,967,783. Some 750 cases had been closed under the programme.

The number of cases closed annually has been declining since 2016, when the figure peaked at 197. Last year, just 17 cases were closed and €4,464,779 yielded in tax, interest, and penalties. The highest yield was in 2015 when €21,608,125 was recouped.

“Revenue is satisfied that the medical consultants compliance programme has identified, addressed, and is continuing to address relevant risks in respect of the tax affairs of medical consultants. This is an ongoing sectoral programme in the context of Revenue’s overall compliance framework and strategy,” a Revenue spokesperson informed MI.

By the end of 2021, Revenue had opened 774 interventions under this programme, with 24 open interventions at various stages of completion. Some 52 cases had been published in the quarterly List of Tax Defaulters.

In 2010 Revenue initiated a review of the tax affairs of consultants in the Dublin region, following concerns about a tax planning strategy being promoted to the medical profession. Following an initial review of cases to ascertain the issues and risks, the programme was expanded to the tax affairs of consultants nationally in 2013.