Dáil debates

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

3:00 pm

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)

According to his reply, to date the Minister for Finance cannot outline to the House the cost of 33 tax reliefs, namely, almost one in every three tax reliefs that exist in this State. Some of the information was truncated but I presume that is what is stated therein.

I refer to the report in 2009 of the Commission on Taxation. Of the 42 reliefs, five were abolished, the Minister can provide additional information on four but cannot do so for the remaining 33. A number of them apply in areas such as health, enterprise and employment. When we come to deal with Committee Stage of the Finance (No. 2) Bill how will we be able to make accurate decisions in this regard if we do not have information as to how much these tax reliefs will cost? Does the Minister plan within his Department to have information prior to the 2012 budget on all the other 33 tax reliefs available? Will he publish the costs and benefits that apply to each of those tax reliefs prior to the budget?

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