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Overview

The University of Galway Tax Clinic assists and educates unrepresented taxpayers with the lifelong skills to look after their own tax affairs. It aims to ensure the fairness and integrity of the tax system, and currently serves University of Galway students and members of marginalised community groups with whom we partner.

The clinic provides free and confidential tax information in a caring and trusting environment. This service is designed to support citizens in their tax compliance and correspondence with Revenue. Individual consultations are provided by volunteer University of Galway tax students under the supervision of professional tax advisors. Consultations primarily take place online via Zoom.

The Irish personal tax system is increasingly complex, resulting in many citizens incorrectly filing their tax returns or not filing them at all. In some cases, tax refunds remain unclaimed and tax credits are frequently not in order. If you have been an employee/PAYE worker this year or in any of the previous four years, you may have some tax questions - consider making an appointment with the tax clinic now to get the answers!

Tax Clinic - Enabling Tax Literacy

Ireland’s first free voluntary tax clinic

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University of Galway Tax Clinic

Why Make an Appointment

If any of the items below apply to you, book an appointment today:

  • Do you have tax concerns?
  • Have you claimed all your tax credits, e.g., tuition fees, flat rate allowances, medical expenses, Single Parent Child Carer Credit, Home Carer Credit, etc.?
  • Have you recently been made unemployed, and do you know if you are due any taxes back?
  • Are/were you in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and do you know how it’s taxed?
  • Have you recently moved to Ireland and do you know if your tax affairs are in order?
  • If you’re going abroad to work, are your Irish tax affairs in order before you leave?
  • Do you have multiple jobs? What are the tax implications of this?

Booking an Appointment and how the Process Works

When you attend an online tax clinic consultation, you will meet volunteer student and professional tax advisers who will provide you with information on how to address the tax issue you have identified in your application form. The volunteer tax advisors are authorised to give tax information only in this clinic. No advisor / client relationship is created from this exchange of information. Information provided at the Tax Clinic does not constitute advice. Any action you take as a result of information provided by the clinic is entirely your responsibility.

All personnel working in the Tax Clinic respect complete confidentiality of those who attend clinic consultations. Notes will be taken at the session on the type of query and information given. These notes may be kept for training or research purposes only. No identifying information (name, address, etc.) will be attached to these notes when used for training or research purposes. This is in line with University of Galway’s commitment to managing personal data correctly and is underpinned by the University's Data Protection Policy. The University adheres to the principles of the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018 (as may be amended) and the European General Data Protection Regulation in its processing of Personal Data and Special Categories of Personal Data.

The clinic is now taking bookings for consultations in February and March 2024. To make a booking, contact taxclinic@universityofgalway.ie.

Preparing For Your Appointment

In advance of attending your consultation, we ask that you register for myAccount with Revenue. Please see the video provided on this page with more information of how to register.

The consultations will be on Zoom video conferencing. It is not essential to create a Zoom account in order to join an online meeting link, but it is recommended – for a quick start guide visit this link. If you are a University of Galway student, visit this link for information on accessing your university Zoom account.

Official Launch Event

We are pleased to announce that the University of Galway Tax Clinic was officially launched by Minister Hildegarde Naughton on Thursday 2nd November, 2023. The theme for this event was: "Taxpayer Rights in a Digital World: How Tax Clinics Contribute to Justice and Fairness". Joining us virtually on the morning was our distinguished guest, Nina E. Olson, a U.S. based global authority on taxpayer rights. mThis event was run in partnership with the University of Galway MBA programme and the Galway Chamber of Commerce.

Volunteer

Pro bono volunteers play an important role at the clinic. If you are a tax professional and are interested in getting involved on a volunteer basis, please contact the Clinic Director, Prof. Emer Mulligan at taxclinic@universityofgalway.ie

Contact Us

Prof. Emer Mulligan, Tax Clinic Director
taxclinic@universityofgalway.ie

Dr Maggie O’Neill, Tax Clinic Coordinator
taxclinic@universityofgalway.ie


Register for myAccount with Revenue


What Our Tax Clinic Student Advisors Say

Sarah

Sarah Comiskey |   Student Advisor 2020 (currently Audit Associate at Deloitte)

I took part in the tax clinic as part of its pilot programme. The opportunity to work in a client facing environment alongside professionals in the industry was invaluable. It was great to bring classroom learning into a real-world situation, and also to help fellow students better understand their tax position.
Patrick

Patrick Carr |   Tax Clinic Student Advisor (Tax Associate - Deloitte)

The Tax Clinic is a great opportunity for people to learn how to solve everyday tax issues. Clients will gain a better understanding of their tax affairs and receive practical information which they can use going forward. I highly recommend anyone who is struggling with any aspect of tax, no matter how small, to arrange an appointment with the Clinic.
Claire

Claire Fogarty |   Student Advisor 2020 (Currently Tax Associate at KPMG)

As a student advisor, I saw first-hand how beneficial the tax clinic was for students. Many students do not understand their payslips or why they pay the amount of tax that they do. We were able to provide them with information about tax and tax credits, enabling them to understand their personal situation, as well as how to claim tax back. I would recommend the tax clinic to every student as it is an excellent way to get accurate tax information, in a friendly environment.
Orna

Orna Cunningham |   Student Advisor (Currently Financial Analyst at EY)

It was a pleasure to take part in the NUI Galway Student Tax Clinic last year. The Tax Clinic was well-organised and proved to be a highly beneficial service, as the majority of students don’t understand how the tax system works and, consequently, lack the tools to make tax-efficient decisions.”
Éabha

Éabha Ní Chonláin |   Student Tax Advisor

I volunteered as a student tax advisor to share my tax knowledge and to contribute back to the student community. Tax Clinic consultations were conducted online due to the pandemic. However, this did not hinder the effectiveness of the free service. Overall, clients were very satisfied with the information provided and they left the consultations feeling confident to deal with their future tax affairs. I highly recommend students to utilise this helpful and informative service

What Professional Tax Advisors Say

Florita

Florita Dolly |   TAX DIRECTOR AT PWC

This exciting new initiative makes taxpayer assistance more accessible and also gives excellent experience to the student tax advisers, which will stand to them in their future careers. PwC Galway are delighted to be supporting this initiative.
Sandra

Sandra Mc Donald |   Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA)

Many people have little understanding of their taxes and often have almost a fear of looking at them. It is satisfying to see many relieved after a Clinic consultation, having a better understanding of their tax position and the potential reliefs which may reduce their tax liability and improve their overall financial position. I'm proud to be part of the team and the initiative.