Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
503. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding services provided by Revenue; if he will liaise with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners in relation to same; if he will request an update from Revenue on the steps they are taking to address issues with service provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12803/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraRevenue operates to a published Customer Charter, which sets expectations for timeliness, fairness, and quality across all customer interactions, including written correspondence. These expectations cover acknowledgements, substantive responses, clarity of communication, and accessibility. The Customer Charter is available on the Revenue website at the following link:
[www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/customer-service/customer-charter/index.aspx].
Revenue has advised me it allocates resources to best meet the demand of the various services provided. The current arrangement is that the phone service operates from 9:30am to 1:30pm each day providing optimum allocation of available resources to deal with the volume of submissions through post and online as well as through the phone service.
During peak periods, queuing times can increase due to the volume of calls being received. To mitigate this, Revenue operates a callback facility on many helplines. This service offers customers the option of a callback when they do not wish to wait any longer in the helpline queue. Their place is held in the queue and once their place has been reached, they receive a call back from the system within 20 minutes, thus improving the customer experience. This measure helps to prevent excessively long wait times, ensuring that those who do connect can receive effective and timely assistance.
Revenue also offers a range of appointments services to customers in addition to the phone and online services. In-person appointments are currently available at a number of Revenue Offices including Dublin and customers can schedule an appointment at a time that is convenient for them.
Virtual appointments are provided nationally which allow taxpayers, accompanied by a trusted friend or family member if they so wish, to speak to a Revenue officer via a video call, through an internet-enabled smart device. Virtual appointments can be conducted from the taxpayer’s home, removing the need for them to attend a Revenue office. The appointments are conducted on Microsoft (MS) Teams and once an appointment is scheduled, Revenue will send a MS Teams meeting link which allows customers to attend this appointment virtually.
In-person and virtual appointments can be arranged by calling Revenue’s National Appointments Service on (01) 738 3660. Further information regarding Revenue’s National Appointments Service can be found on the Revenue website at the following link: [www.revenue.ie/en/home.aspx].
As the Deputy may be aware, the early months of each year place the highest demand on Revenue’s PAYE Services as taxpayers submit their income tax returns for the previous year, claim refunds or reliefs to which they may be entitled, and review tax credits for the current year. From 1 January 2026 to close of business on 11 February 2026, Revenue has advised me that the PAYE Helpline staff answered over 91,152 calls (National PAYE Helpline & Carer’s Helpline) and processed over 103,596 items of correspondence received through its online services and postal system. Additionally, to date in 2026, Revenue has processed 729,795 PAYE Income tax returns, resulting in refunds of over €553 million.
Following the publication of the Customer Charter, Revenue committed to publishing regular performance reports on their service delivery. Service Delivery Reports published quarterly are available on the Revenue website, at the following link:
Revenue has also confirmed to me that it continuously reviews its service channels and deploys its resources on an agile basis to meet demand ensuring optimum support to taxpayers throughout the year. Revenue’s secure online MyEnquiries system, is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and is user friendly. Where issues are identified, Revenue adjusts resourcing and processes to improve access, including at peak service periods.
Revenue further advises that if the Deputy wishes to provide specific details of cases to Revenue in writing where constituents have encountered difficulty in contacting and engaging with Revenue, it will address the particular issues raised.
