The Revenue accidentally withdrew €71 million more in taxes than it should have done from the bank accounts of 1,100 companies this month, it has emerged.
A Revenue spokesman told ireland.comthat a duplicate debit had been made in a batch of 1,100 cases as a result of human error.
He said the money was primarily PAYE and PRSI that the Revenue withdraws by direct debit from the employers' bank accounts every month.
The spokesman said the Revenue had been in contact with the majority of employers involved and have pledged to have the money returned by tomorrow or at the latest by Monday morning.
The Revenue also intends to write to each employer to apologise and explain what happened. It has also undertaken to pay any banking charges incurred.
