At a time when tribunals are exposing tax abuses, the chances of Irish companies and individuals facing a full audit from the Revenue Commissioners has fallen from one in 80 to one in 153.
These were the figures given to the IMPACT conference yesterday by the secretary of the union's tax inspectors' branch, Ms Mary Farrell.
She said the yield from tax evaders had fallen by £3 million last year because of "a deliberate policy of capping staff numbers".