asked the Minister for Finance the total number of active tax units in the country, as follows: (1) husband and wife tax units; (2) total individual working tax units at (a) 6 April 1982; (b) 6 April 1983; (c) 6 April 1984; and (d) 6 April 1985; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

As the reply contains statistical data, I propose to circulate it in the Official Report.

Statistics are available only on an income tax year basis in respect of all persons who are on record for income tax purposes including persons with unearned income only.

Following is the reply:

Number of tax units.

¹Working wives other than those treated as single persons are not counted separately.

²An estimated 90,000 full time farmers were brought within the charge to tax in respect of farming profits for the first time in 1983-84, but as it will be some time before all these cases can be processed, figures in relation to them are not included in the table.

In view of the importance of this question——

Would Deputy Treacy please listen to the Chair for a moment? We spent a long time discussing this one day and we decided that we would stick to the old rule on this and not make a new one. Will the Minister please answer Question No. 5?