Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider raising the guidelines at which persons have to register for VAT; the last time this was reviewed or changed; and if he has plans to raise that level upwards from €51,000. [29996/04]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Traders making supplies in the State are obliged to register for VAT where certain turnover thresholds are exceeded or are likely to be exceeded in any continuous period of 12 months. The current thresholds, which were introduced in the Finance Act 1994 with effect from 1 July 1994 are €25,500 in the case of a person supplying services and €51,000 for persons supplying goods. The first threshold also applies to persons supplying a combination of goods and services or goods chargeable at the 13.5% or 21% VAT rates which are produced from zero-rated materials.

Businesses with a turnover below these thresholds can, of course, register for VAT. Those businesses in the service sector in particular frequently choose to do so for commercial reasons. It is not customary for me to comment on any possible changes to thresholds which may, or may not, arise in the context of the forthcoming budget.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of small, self-administered pension funds and schemes; and the amount of tax relief claimed in respect of such schemes. [30112/04]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that there are approximately 2,500 small self-administered pension schemes in existence. Employer contributions to small self-administered pension schemes are treated as a trading expense of the employer for tax purposes. Employee contributions to such schemes are netted off as deductions from an individual's income before arriving at the definition of income for tax purposes. Figures for pension contributions by employers and employees are not captured in such a way as to provide a dedicated basis for compiling estimates of cost to the Exchequer. Accordingly, the specific information requested by the Deputy is not readily available.