Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

I move recommendation No. 4:

In page 13, before section 4, but in Chapter 3, to insert the following new section:

4.—Section 531A(1) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is amended by the substituting of the following for the definition of "aggregate income":

" 'aggregate income for the year of assessment', in relation to an individual and a year of assessment, means the aggregate of the individual's relevant emoluments in the year of assessment, including relevant emoluments that are paid in whole or in part for a year of assessment other than the year of assessment during which the payment is made, and relevant income for the year of assessment, but excluding any amounts paid by an employer under Section 787E(1) and Section 787E(2).".

This recommendation is linked to another section. If someone has taken out a mortgage mid-way through the year, he or she will lose the full year of mortgage interest relief. This needs to be examined again because 26,000 households are in negative equity and another 26,000 are in difficulties. Every possible opportunity should be examined by the Government to give them mortgage relief.