In Nov 2011 Joan Burton said in a speech to the Chartered Accountants Ireland Cork Society
"Another measure I am considering is widening the net to make certain types of unearned income such as rent profits and dividends liable to PRSI. This was recommended by the Commission on Taxation in 2009, but it was not acted upon by the previous government"
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Press/Speeches/2011/Pages/sp251111.aspx
The Commission on Taxation Report, 2009 states "Employees should be subject to PRSI on unearned income such as Investment Income and Rental Income"
Revenue says the following in relation to Investment Income:-
"Investment income arising in the state that has not been taxed at source (i.e. Interest received without deduction of DIRT, Credit Union Dividends, etc.) is taxable under Schedule D Case III. If you have a PAYE source of income and the total amount of income received in these categories plus any other non PAYE income does not exceed €3,175, the tax due on this income can be collected by means of an adjustment to your Tax Credit Certificate. If the income exceeds this limit you are required to register for Self Assessment."
http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/investment-income-arising-state.html
In the 2012 Budget speech Michael Noonan referred to "Further broadening of the base for PRSI to cover rental, investment and other forms of income from 2013"
http://budget.gov.ie/budgets/2012/FinancialStatement.aspx
On Oct 16th 2012 Labour Party TD Kevin Humphries submitted the following questions (among others) to Joan Burton
" if she has considered extending PRSI on to all unearned investment income such as income from rental property, dividends, other investments and deposit interest for employees; if she will consider having it deducted at source where applicable such as from the issuing company or bank; the projected yield from such a widening of the PRSI base; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44623/12]"
and
"the yield on an annual basis from 2007 to 2011 from PRSI on deposit interest income; the expected yield in 2012; the increased projected yield on an annual basis if PRSI was extended to deposit interest income from both self employed and PAYE workers; if she will consider introducing a withholding of PRSI at source before disbursement of interest on such personal accounts as applies to DIRT; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44625/12]"
and Joan Burton replied
"All workers pay PRSI on their earnings from employment. If an employee has earned income from self-employment, PRSI as a self-employed contributor is also payable on the profits from that self-employed activity as well as from any other unearned income the individual may have. Similarly a self-employed contributor (who is not an employee) pays PRSI on both earned and unearned income. However if an employee has unearned income only, there is no PRSI charge on the unearned income. Unearned income includes rental and investment income as well as income from dividends, deposits and savings and from overseas investments.
It is difficult to estimate the projected annual yield if PRSI was extended to all sources of unearned income including income from rental property, dividends, other investments and deposit interest for both self-employed and PAYE workers who currently may not be liable to pay PRSI on these streams of income. Based on 2009 data it is estimated that the additional yield could be in the region of €20m, of which a substantial part refers to rental income.
The Revenue Commissioners act as the Department of Social Protection’s agent in the collection of PRSI. Any proposal to deduct at source or withhold PRSI to be charged on streams of income which are currently exempt from PRSI would have to be discussed with the Commissioners to determine the viability of that mechanism of collection.
It is not possible to furnish the annual yield from 2007 to 2011 and the projected yield in 2012, in respect of various categories of unearned income including rental income, dividend income and deposit interest income, as this information is not disaggregated from Class S income generally.
One of my key goals in the Department is to reform the system of social protection to put it on a sounder financial footing in the future. One of the matters I am most concerned about is the deficit in the Social Insurance Fund. It is my intention to widen the PRSI income base to make certain types of unearned income, such as those outlined above, liable to PRSI. Any proposal to bring additional sources of income within the base on which PRSI is charged would have to be considered taking account of all of the implications, including the potential for providing access to additional social insurance entitlements."
http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas...pack.nsf/takes/dail2012101600065?opendocument
Some commentary has taken the PRSI extension for PAYE workers to mean Income from Rental Income & Dividends only therefore meaning only PAYE workers who are obliged to file a Form 12 anyway.