Financial mismanagement and the waste of millions of euro of taxpayers' money has been highlighted in the annual report of the Government's financial watchdog, the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The report also reveals that in some areas - such as the construction industry - tax evasion is as bad as it was in the 1970's, largely because the Revenue Commissioners are over-worked.
Tax evasion
The report reveals that more than €2bn had been collected by the Revenue Commissioners Special Investigation into Ansbacher, National Irish Bank, and other offshore investigations.
However, it also reveals that almost €173m in tax was written off by the Revenue Commissioners last year. This compares with last year's write-off of €119m.
In 2004, the Revenue Commissioners referred 57 cases to the Investigation and Prosecution Division. Thirty four cases are still under investigation, with 13 being referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
There were six convictions, and one guilty plea. There were also 91 convictions for Customs and Excise offences ranging from Vehicle Registration Tax discrepancies to tobacco smuggling and counterfeit spirits.
Custodial sentences were imposed in seven cases.
Asylum applications
The C&AG’s report also finds that the State spent €129m on implementing policies on refugee and asylum seekers in 2004.
However, the auditors queried a situation where of 456 failed asylum seekers targeted for deportation, only 25 were finally deported.
An Post & social welfare
Elsewhere, the report reveals that An Post had not supplied certified statements on the volume and value of social welfare payments made on behalf of the Department of Social & Family Affairs 'for a number of years'.
Under its agreement with the department, An Post is required to supply such statements before 31 March each year.
It also found that An Post claimed almost €2m relating to payment documentation which was 'lost in transit', but supplied no details.
It referred to concerns in the department about post offices which made recurring and high value 'lost in transit' claims, saying the department had asked An Post for details of what action it had taken to investigate these claims.
An Post has also been asked to look at more secure and accountable arrangements for handling such documentation.
The report shows that the department made overpayments of €56.3m for social welfare schemes last year, €18.65m of which was attributed to fraud, up from €13.7m in 2003.
The C&AG also referred to 'significant limitations' in the reporting and recording system for overpayments.
National Toll Roads
The Department of Transport also came under scrutiny in the report.
According to the C&AG, the State received almost €2m less than it should have in tolls from the company running the Westlink Bridge in 2002 and 2003, according to the latest report by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The shortfall was not picked up by the State, the National Roads Authority, or the auditors for National Toll Roads - the private company that runs the Westlink toll bridge.
Under an agreement between NTR and the State, the Exchequer is entitled to a share of toll revenue based on volumes of traffic.
The discrepancy arose because of complex compensation payments worth €6.4m made by the State to NTR when VAT was imposed on tolls.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said that NTR has already paid back the shortfall with interest and penalties.
