The report revealed that the Revenue is concerned that property investors are posing as owner-occupiers - who are not obliged to pay stamp duty on a new property - when they are in fact purchasing houses and renting them out.

Therefore, Revenue officials have been conducting random checks on property occupancy by phone or in writing.

Although the Irish tax authority declined to comment, an anonymous source close to the matter explained that:

"If it is discovered that a person who claims to be an owner-occupier is letting his property, the financial consequences can be significant."