Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

For every €100, therefore, they get €40 back in tax relief. This is the reality. People mighty not realise this or be thankful for it but they get it, despite themselves, although people on very modest incomes who come into my office are more than aware they are getting tax relief on their salaries. On the other hand, if somebody who pays 40% tax goes into the Department's scheme and puts in €100, they have really got only €60 to put into the scheme because €40 will be gone in tax. The Department will then give back one third, or €20, so the person will have paid only €80 of the €100 into the scheme, whereas the person in the first example will have paid €100 into the scheme.