Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy McCarthy. The parliamentary question he refers to deals with the funds review and recommendations on the taxation of funds and policies. My predecessor, the Minister, Deputy Chambers, published the Funds Sector 2030 review, which was an important and wide-ranging piece of work. The programme for Government committed to progressing and publishing an implementation plan for consideration in budget 2026 because what we now know is that new technologies, the use of phones in particular, is offering retail investors easier access to investments at lower cost.

I have heard the feedback about the need for modernisation of the existing taxation regime, and I acknowledge the complexities in the current regime for an average investor. There is a possibility that, due to the changes happening in technology, younger citizens of our country will find it easier to make investment decisions about their own futures, which will help with their own economic futures. We need to take a step back and assess whether we have the right taxation regime in place and whether the regulatory environment around it and, in particular, the way we implement that regime, are clear enough.

We are going to consider all of this. It is likely that because there are so many recommendations within the Funds Review 30 report that the delivery may have to take place over many different Finance Bills and budgets. I recognise the growing importance of the funds sector as an employer within our economy and I recognise that the products it has available are being considered by more and more citizens. We need to look at how we support that.

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