Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This matter was discussed at length in the Dáil. The Department's view is that a report prepared within three months of the passing of this Bill is unlikely to reveal anything we do not already know. The issue is not a lack of desire to reduce the rates of exit tax and other taxes that have previously been linked to the rate of DIRT, but the not inconsiderable cost of moving all the rates in tandem. Those costs are on the record. When Deputy Michael McGrath proposed similar amendments during the Committee and Report Stage debates on this Bill in the Dáil, we discussed this matter and I gave a commitment that it will be considered as part of the tax strategy group process in advance of next year's budget and Finance Bill. Deputy McGrath accepted that this would achieve the effect desired under his amendments and withdrew them on that basis. I am happy to repeat this commitment to Senator Horkan today. I hope he will agree that this commitment will achieve the effect desired in his recommendation. The tax strategy group papers were published in July of this year. This was the first time this was done. We will be publishing such papers again as part of the budgetary process for next year and this issue will be considered in that context.