In the first two months of each year between 2003 and 2013 the Inland Revenue Department paid out a total of €44,569,577 in overdue refunds that had been in arrears for several years.
Finance Minister Edward Scicluna gave the year-by-year details in reply to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Chris Agius.
The greatest amount was in 2004: €10,170,957 to 2,317 taxpayers. The lowest – €99,439 – was to 137 taxpayers in 2008.