Revenue in crackdown on hawkers and street traders
A team of Revenue investigators is currently involved in a major crackdown on traders and ‘hawkers’ in markets and at various festivals around Galway.
The Revenue confirmed to the Galway City Tribune this week that the team was in attendance at the Galway Races, where they monitored traders for potential tax fraud.
The spokesperson stressed this does not imply that traders are not tax compliant, but warned that if any are ‘caught’, they face a full tax audit.
The spokesperson said the crackdown is part of an ongoing operation to target the country’s ‘shadow economy’.
Traders and businesses are being checked that they are registered for taxes, are licensed and have proper record-keeping in place.
“We focus on sectors that have traditionally been susceptible to shadow activity, particularly cash businesses. These ‘streetscapes’ are routine compliance visits conducted by Revenue and include but are not restricted to, for example, visiting all businesses on a street or in a small town, markets, business parks, industrial shows, racecourses, liquidation sales, Christmas markets, furniture sales, music festivals and sporting events.
“Legitimate and compliant traders participating in these types of events are reassured to see a Revenue presence at such events as it shows our dedication to maintaining a level playing field for all businesses.” In recent years, a joint effort between Revenue and the Department of Social Welfare saw hundreds of homes visited in an effort to ‘catch out’ unregistered landlords.
And in the space of one week, around 200 businesses in the city were visited in a crackdown on dole fraud, with employers and employees questioned, and van registrations recorded outside builders’ and plumbing suppliers.
Businesses in the hospitality sector and convenience stores were also targeted.
For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.