Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 14, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following:"(3) The Minister may seek the introduction of appropriate categories or sectoral headings in respect of applications and request information from the Controller as to the proportion of applications under each heading.".

This and most of the amendments that follow flow from our general concern about the potential loss of revenue and the potential abuse of the legislation to avoid tax and the conferring of advantage on particular companies or industries which will benefit from significant reductions in tax. Notwithstanding our general opposition to the Bill, the amendments seek safeguards and to have the most extensive information available on who is benefiting from these certificates and the tax break that goes with them in order that we can assess as we go along potential abuses or particular companies or sectors which are gaining major advantages as against others. Even those who agree with the general thrust of the legislation might acknowledge the merit of having such information available to us on which sectors or regions are benefiting from it in order that we can assess the effectiveness of the legislation and assess abuses, revenue losses, etc.