Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this necessary recommendation. Will the Minister clarify whether any companies have got away with exploiting this loophole since the budget and, if so, what type of moneys are involved?

The last time we discussed stamp duty with the Minister in the House, I asked several questions that were not answered. My concern relates to the situation of people who paid a deposit on a site earlier this year but have since encountered legal difficulties that delayed the process. We are in muddy waters here and the responses we are getting from the Department do not shed any light. I understand that in the case of one-off sites, there are problems that can arise compared with the situation regarding housing developments. People who paid a deposit on land before last March but subsequently came up against legal problems - where, for example, somebody has died - which required getting paperwork right and working matters through with the State, appear to be getting sucked into the efforts to crack down on stamp duty loopholes. Will the Minister clarify the status of people in those circumstances? We cannot have a situation where companies are getting away with not paying duty while a small farmer who buys a few acres of land is treated differently.

A relevant question was also asked about double taxation. If the tax is being paid in another country, is it double taxation? If Ireland has an agreement or arrangement on that, what way is it? In fairness to Deputy Doherty, much of the budget is built on the €376 million to be provided by this measure, which may not turn out to be as good as the Government expects. I am aware from speaking to auctioneers that there is a lull in land. Some people, unfortunately, cannot get the extra money that is required.

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