Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Finance the statutory basis for the tax-saver commuter ticket scheme. [4918/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Section 33 of Finance Act 1999 amended section 118 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to exempt from income tax the benefit-in-kind arising from the provision of an annual or monthly bus or train pass by an employer to an employee or director. The exemption applied in respect of a bus/train pass issued in respect of a scheduled licensed passenger transport service, that is, CIE — or any of its subsidiaries — and those operators who had a licence under the Road Transport Act 1932.

Section 8 of Finance Act 2004 extended the BIK tax exemption for employer-provided travel passes to include LUAS services. The Act also clarified that the exemption applies where a pass/ticket covers more than one operator, for example, an integrated ticket covering LUAS and Dublin Bus.

Section 8 of Finance Act 2005 extended the benefit-in-kind tax exemption for employer-provided travel passes to include passes for travel on commuter ferries which operate within the State.