Black Economy Crackdown: Fairness Or Overreach? Episode 855

Niall talks to Eddie Punch, former European election candidate for Independent Ireland, about Revenue’s growing crackdown on Ireland’s black economy and asks whether ordinary people should be reporting neighbours, tradespeople and local businesses they suspect of working cash in hand.

Revenue has pursued more than €10.5 million from suspected black market activity over the past 18 months, targeting sectors including construction, takeaways, beauty businesses, landlords and other cash based operators. Last year Revenue examined almost 13,000 suspected cases, intervening in around 8,000 and collecting €8.3 million.

But perhaps one of the biggest changes is coming from the public themselves. Tip offs about suspected black market activity jumped from 930 in 2024 to 1,743 in 2025, while Revenue is also examining social media for evidence of people operating cash in hand businesses and potentially avoiding tax.

Supporters of the crackdown argue that legitimate businesses simply cannot compete with someone who avoids VAT, PRSI, income tax, insurance and other costs while offering the same service for cash. Businesses in the beauty and construction industries say the shadow economy creates an unfair playing field for those who follow the rules.

But is there another side to it?

For generations, people have paid a builder, painter, cleaner, hairdresser or handyman a few euro in cash. Some argue that the black economy keeps money circulating locally, gives people struggling with the cost of living a chance to earn extra income and allows customers to get work done at prices they can actually afford.

So where do you draw the line between someone making a few extra quid and deliberate tax evasion?

And most importantly, would you actually report somebody to Revenue for working cash in hand, or would you say it’s none of your business?

Niall and Eddie Punch debate whether Ireland needs an even tougher crackdown on the black economy, or whether the cash economy is far more important to ordinary people than Government would like to admit.