Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Our personal tax rates are decreasing, which as the Senator will be aware were raised during the crisis to levels that are too high. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance have indicated that we are now firmly on a downwards route in this regard, with reductions in the USC and in the top rate of income tax. We are pretty tax competitive but we can do more. The CGT rate is 33% rather than 40%, although I think it was Sinn Féin that proposed it be set at 40%. Capital gains tax is always under scrutiny. I believe we should examine the issue of CGT for entrepreneurs rather than CGT generally. If there is any case to be made, it is entrepreneurs who should be given the opportunity to realise the benefits up to a certain threshold, which I understand applies in the UK. Some of those practises are worthy of examination.