Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I know the Minister is not very well disposed to this amendment but it must be kept under consideration by his Department. Where people are required to make investments for compliance with environmental obligations that the State rightly applies, they should not find themselves paying tax on the money they set aside to meet those compliance obligations. That is what the Minister's provision does.

The Minister may say that his treatment of capital allowances generally is unsatisfactory but necessary for a crisis; people seeking to conform with compliance rules that the Minister continues to apply during a crisis should not find themselves taxed for doing so. The Minister might not be willing to accept the amendment this year but it is worthy of being kept to the fore and if I table it next year, perhaps the Minister would be in a position to accept it.

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