Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

My understanding is that the 2003 Act is the parent Act and indexation applies to this allowance. Effectively, the difference between the €183,688 and the €250,000 is the indexation since 2003 to 2011. I do not have the answer to the question on An Post products, but I presume that savings bonds, being an An Post product, were given a tax free status, much like that Government paper has. I suppose this was to encourage people to lend to the Government for infrastructural projects or whatever the Government is doing. They are sold on the basis they are tax exempt. That has been their selling point and, obviously, they allow the Government raise moneys a little more cheaply.

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