Limerick Education Centre delivers Revenue’s TY Introduction to Tax pilot programme

TY Introduction to Tax – Pictured at Thomond Community College are TY Students Joey Prieto, Ayumi Enokibara, Grace O’Halloran and Max Cummins with Diarmuid Kelly, Business Studies Teacher, Vivienne Hogan, Principal, Norma O’Brien, Limerick Education Centre, Tony O’Shea, Limerick Education Centre, Kathryn Hynes and Margaret O’Connor, Revenue. Picture: Alan Place.

Limerick Education Centre delivers Revenue’s TY Introduction to Tax pilot programme

The TY Introduction to Tax module aims to help students, as future taxpayers, to understand Revenue’s role in collecting taxes and duties. Picture: Alan Place.

Last year, Revenue partnered with Limerick Education Centre (LEC) and Thomond Community College (TCC) to develop a pilot ‘Introduction to Tax’ education module for transition year students. The TY Introduction to Tax module aims to help students, as future taxpayers, to understand Revenue’s role in collecting taxes and duties, what taxes are used for and the importance of tax compliance.

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Together, Revenue and LEC developed the programme, with the first TY Introduction to Tax pilot module delivered by Business Studies teacher, Diarmuid Kelly, to the transition year students of Thomond Community College in October 2021. Diarmuid is currently delivering a second pilot to another group of students this school term which incorporates some refinements based on feedback from the first pilot.

The module aims to educate students on certain key tax-related matters such as the purpose of tax and the importance of keeping your tax affairs up to date. For example, the module teaches students how to register for their first job, how to use Revenue’s online services and how to identify if they are paying the correct tax under the PAYE system. It also educates them in other areas of taxation that might be of particular use or relevance to them such as the self-assessment system and Customs.

Commenting on the success of the initial pilot, director of Limerick Education Centre, Norma O’Brien said, “LEC is delighted to be a part of this initiative. It brings huge benefits to students and plays a part in preparing them for life after school and developing their understanding of tax. The students have engaged well with the module and have provided positive and helpful feedback.”

LEC will continue to work with Revenue over the coming months to further develop and refine the module. Over the course of 2022, Revenue will engage with relevant educational stakeholders with a view to delivering additional pilots in other schools.

Speaking on the significance of the pilot, Margaret O’Connor, Revenue’s Service Policy manager explained, “The Introduction to Tax module for transition year students is an important initiative for Revenue and something we hope to see available, in time, for all transition year students. We want to help our future customer by giving them the confidence to understand and manage their tax affairs. 

The module gives students the knowledge and skills to ensure that when they start their working life that they pay only the right amount of tax, at the right time. It also explains how they can claim tax back if they incur expenses such as health expenses during the year as well as giving a general understanding of what they need to do to be tax compliant. This is equally important whether they enter the workforce as an employee or start their own business. This basic understanding of tax will make it as easy as possible for these students to engage with Revenue in the future.”

To find out more about Revenue’s TY Introduction to Tax pilot programme and how you can get involved, contact taxeducation@revenue.ie.

For more stories on Thomond Community College, go HERE 

For more information on Limerick Education Centre, go HERE