Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That is unfortunate. I will just speak to amendment No. 4 again. For most reliefs of this nature, when we look at benefit in kind, by definition there is a presumption of an employee-employer relationship. I will note that the rent tax credit for a student can be claimed by parents. The Minister is making provision for that. The same principle should apply to his consideration of this proposal, which would be welcomed by young people and parents and would get more people out of cars and onto bikes in an affordable way. The Minister mentioned a potential dead-weight impact. There are many reliefs that we can discuss here, and we will be discussing some later on, that involve dead weight. There would be an environmental and social benefit to the initiative I am proposing here.

To conclude on amendment No. 3, I ask the Minister to reconsider. The official figures suggest some 5,000 to 7,000 bikes are stolen every year. Dublin Cycling Campaign suggests it is closer to 20,000. I absolutely agree that people should do all they can to ensure their bikes and equipment are insured. That is not always possible for everybody. Lots of people who have their bikes stolen require them for work and may obtain them to carry out their duties and responsibilities. It is not an insignificant amount of money to shell out to buy a new bike, especially under circumstances where people on low and modest incomes are really struggling as they are at the moment. I ask the Minister to review the position on that and I may reintroduce both amendments on Report Stage.