Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

As I was saying, these reliefs are very important opportunities for ordinary working people such as bar workers, nurses, employed electricians, rail workers and others to claim back some small reliefs, for example for the purchase, cleaning or laundering of uniforms. I accept the reliefs have developed on a rather piecemeal basis over the years but now we understand Revenue is carrying out a very broad review of the reliefs and is likely to close them down. For a bar worker, they are worth €93 a year; for an employed electrician, €331 a year; and for a fire-fighter, €272 a year.

This issue was first brought to my attention by mine workers in Tara Mines in Navan, many of whom live in my constituency, who are in receipt of reliefs of €1,312 per year because of the nature of the work they do and associated costs. It now looks like those reliefs will be reduced and, in all likelihood, abolished. Doctors gain about €600 to €700 each year from this relief which involves reclaiming moneys expended on professional subscriptions.

I hope many Members of the House are trade union members. I am and I know Senator Higgins and others are. We are not in a position and neither is any member of a trade union to claim any relief on trade union subscriptions so there is no equity in this. It is important we provide some clarity on it. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Finance to the House at the earliest opportunity to allow us to debate the framework involved, when the decision was taken and whether it is an open and transparent process.

Self-employed people and high-flyers have plenty of reliefs available to them in pension reliefs, property reliefs and so on which are not available to PAYE workers. The abolition of these small reliefs will cause real problems for ordinary working people up and down the country. It is important the Minister comes into the House to state very clearly why the review is taking place and within which framework it is taking place. If it is taking place, it needs to be clear, open and transparent.