Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Finance to apply the Business Expansion Scheme to wind farms; to increase the BES limit from €1 million to €5 million; to increase personal BES contributions to €100,000; to ensure the extension of the BES to 2010; and to ensure tax free rental income for the landowners in relation to wind farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18322/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has received correspondence from a person (details supplied) in County Wexford setting out consideration with regard to improvement in REFIT price and the grant aid of 20 per cent of the capital cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18322/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 246 together.

The Business Expansion Scheme is currently being reviewed. Any decisions on the scheme's remit will be taken in the light of the objectives of assisting risk investments, the cost of the scheme, the benefits gained and the equity of the reliefs involved. Any proposals in this regard are a matter for the next Budget.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Finance if he intends to introduce a tax exemption for the 150,000 pensioners due to pay a total of €75 million in tax on their SSIA accounts due to the fact that they will not receive the normal tax exemption on savings by the elderly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17839/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The SSIAs were introduced in the 2001 Finance Act and give a credit to all SSIA investors of 25%. The aim of the SSIA scheme was to encourage savings. This aim has been successfully achieved with 1.1 million persons availing of the special scheme.

It is widely acknowledged that one of the reasons for the success of the SSIA scheme was its simplicity. It was clearly stated from the very outset that the SSIA investment returns would be subject to a 23% exit tax at maturity with no exemptions for anyone. I have no plans to change this.

Although all SSIA accounts are subject to an exit tax, it should be noted that the SSIA scheme represented a very good deal for all of those taking it up, whether aged 65 and over or not. For example, a person who will have saved €254 per month over 5 years, into their SSIA account, will receive a credit of €3,800 from the Exchequer even before any interest is taken into account.

It should be noted that DIRT on deposit interest was introduced in 1986 and only two reliefs apply, i.e. for those aged 65 or over and for the physically or mentally incapacitated, where the DIRT is deducted by the financial institution on the deposit interest and is refunded if the person claiming the refund is not otherwise liable to income tax on their total income. Thus, it is not a total tax exemption for all those aged 65 or over, or for the incapacitated.