Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On Committee Stage I covered the rationale and why I am making the change. The question I am posing to Deputies McGrath and Doherty is a simple one. Do we think this is worth €20 million per year of taxpayers' resources? To my mind, the answer to that question is no.

This measure has been in place since 1993. It has been there so long that it appears many were not even aware of its existence. We have to get to a point of asking ourselves about this. If we go to the effort of raising taxes elsewhere for sums of money not far away from €20 million, is it not legitimate to ask whether taxpayers' money is being well-used by putting it against an exemption or a change such as this? To my mind, the answer is no. I believe there are better ways of using the €20 million. We can use it to invest in public services or to fund changes we are making in taxes elsewhere.

We have covered the arguments in every debate. For every tax change we make, those looking at the debate and those looking at what I say on budget day come forward with claims that a given measure has not been analysed, that the figures are not costed, that we will not bring in the revenue and that we are not aware of the consequences. These arguments are sometimes a recipe for changing course, but if they were to be used to pause everything I am doing, then we would end up not having a budget. My core contention to the House is that there are better ways of using €20 million of Exchequer resources. We have covered the rationale and need for this on Committee Stage. For that reason I am not in a position to accept the amendment.

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