Confusion as tronc guidelines go missing from Revenue website

Frustration and confusion are growing over the lack of information being provided by the Inland Revenue regarding reforms to its controversial E24 tronc guidelines, according to a hospitality tax expert.

After being issued in February 2004, the guidelines were withdrawn from the Revenue's website in November and have yet to be replaced.

"This has created huge difficulties within the industry," said Peter Davies, of tax consultant Vantis.

Catering businesses under investigation for not complying with the original E24 procedures do not know if they are still under investigation; and other businesses that want to find out if they are complying with the Revenue's tronc guidelines have nothing to check against.

"It is very frustrating and we are calling for immediate action from the Revenue," said Davies.

He explained that the average restaurateur could not administer troncs properly, as information links on the Revenue's website had been removed.

"We desperately need to know what their new interpretation is. If we don't agree with it, we will challenge it - but we need to know."

A Revenue spokesman stated that "a revised leaflet is likely to be published in early February".