Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 334: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the mortgage interest relief at source scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers for each of these time periods benefiting from the mortgage interest relief scheme who claimed tax relief at source of €0 to €200, less than €400, less than €600, less than €800, less than €1000, less than €1200, less than €1400, less than €1600, less than €1800, less than €2000, less than €2200, less than €2400, less than €2600, less than €2800, less than €3000, less than €3200, less than €3400, less than €3600 and less than €3800; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38537/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the cost to the Exchequer of mortgage interest relief by way of tax relief at source (TRS) and the associated number of claimants in each of the years 2005 to 2009 inclusive is as follows:

* These figures are provisional and subject to revision.

It should be noted that married couples are counted as a single claimant. The cost to the Exchequer of tax relief allowed for mortgage interest in 2009 is provisionally estimated at €462 million.

A breakdown, by range of amount, of tax relief provided at source could not be identified without carrying out a significant development of the Revenue Commissioners' TRS computer system.

I am not in a position to provide the information requested in relation to forecasts of mortgage interest relief for the years 2010 and 2011.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 335: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the rent relief for private accommodation scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers who availed of the rent relief for private accommodation scheme in each of those time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38538/09]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 336: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the tax relief on service charges scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers who availed of the tax relief on service charges scheme in each of these time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38539/09]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 337: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the trade union subscription scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers who availed of the trade union subscription scheme in each of those time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38540/09]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 338: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the health and medical expenses relief scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers who availed of the health and medical expenses relief scheme in each of these time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38541/09]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 339: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the tuition fees tax relief scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers who availed of the tuition fees tax relief scheme in each of these time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38542/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 335 to 339, inclusive, together.

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the most recent years for which final information is available on the cost to the Exchequer, and the numbers of taxpayers availing, of the tax reliefs mentioned by the Deputy is for the income tax years 2005 and 2006. The relevant figures are shown in the following table.

I am not in a position to provide the data requested by the Deputy for the years 2007 to 2011 in relation to the above mentioned reliefs.

The numbers availing represent income earners who were in a position to absorb at least some of the tax relief and thereby give rise to an Exchequer cost. They do not include the numbers of potential claimants whose entitlements to other tax reliefs were sufficient to reduce their liability to tax to nil without reference to the specific relief. The numbers availing are rounded to the nearest hundred as appropriate.

A married couple who has elected or has been deemed to have elected for joint assessment is counted as one tax unit.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 340: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the medical insurance premiums tax relief at source scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers who availed of the medical insurance premiums tax relief at source scheme in each of these time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38543/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the cost to the Exchequer of tax relief allowed for medical insurance premia by way of tax relief at source (TRS) and the associated number of policies in each of the years 2005 to 2009 inclusive is as follows:

* These figures are provisional and subject to revision

The cost to the Exchequer of tax relief allowed for medical insurance premia in 2009 is provisionally estimated at €362 million.

The cost projections above do not include the cost to the Exchequer of the age-related tax relief at source which is established by the Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

This tax credit is part of a scheme designed to address the issues covered by the Supreme Court judgement of 2008 that found against the risk equalisation scheme for the provision of private health insurance. The scheme is two-fold, an age-related tax credit to compensate for the higher cost of insurance for older persons, which is funded by a levy on health insurance companies based on the number of people covered by policies underwritten by them.

This scheme is a temporary measure for three years from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2011. It is intended that it will be revenue-neutral over its duration.

It should be noted that the numbers provided relate to the number of policies issued as it is not possible to compile a reliable count of the number of individual claimants.

I am not in a position to provide the information requested in relation to forecasts of tax relief for medical insurance for the years 2010 and 2011.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 341: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the home carer tax credit scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers who availed of the home carer tax credit scheme in each of these time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38544/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the most recent years for which final information is available on the cost to the Exchequer, and the numbers of taxpayers availing, of the home carer tax credit is for the income tax years 2005 and 2006. The relevant figures are as follows:

In addition, provisional estimates, on a preliminary basis, of the cost to the Exchequer of the home carer's tax credit and the associated number of income earners availing of it for the income tax years 2007, 2008 and 2009 are as follows:

The figures for 2008 to 2009 are estimates from the Revenue tax forecasting model using actual data for the year 2007, adjusted as necessary, for income and employment growth for the years in question and are therefore provisional and subject to revision.

I am not in a position to provide the data requested by the Deputy for the years 2010 and 2011.

The numbers availing represent income earners who were in a position to absorb at least some of the home carer tax credit and thereby give rise to an Exchequer cost. They do not include the numbers of potential claimants whose entitlements to other tax credits were sufficient to reduce their liability to tax to nil without reference to the home carer credit. The numbers availing are rounded to the nearest hundred as appropriate.

A married couple who has elected or has been deemed to have elected for joint assessment is counted as one tax unit.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 342: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of the tax relief for pension investment scheme for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009; the projected cost to the Exchequer for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011; the number of taxpayers who availed of the tax relief for pension investment scheme in each of these time periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38545/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The following tables provide a breakdown of the estimated cost of tax and PRSI reliefs for private pension provision for 2006 and 2007, the latest year for which the most up-to-date data is available. The 2007 figures represent an update of the 2006 cost estimates set out in table 7.2 of the Green Paper on Pensions published in the autumn of 2007. Figures have been rounded where appropriate.

Corresponding estimates are also provided for 2005 to the extent that it has been possible to provide them on a consistent and comparable basis.

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that sufficient data to enable estimates to be provided for the tax year 2008 is not yet available as the early tax returns due for that year are only now being processed and the Revenue On-line Service (ROS)- based returns, the majority, are not yet due.

As regards projections for 2009-2011, projections for income tax receipts are based on assumed movements in macro-economic parameters and not by reference to the costs of individual tax reliefs. Accordingly, I am not in a position to provide the projected cost data requested by the Deputy for the years 2009 to 2011 in relation to the above-mentioned reliefs. 2005 Estimate of the cost of tax reliefs for private pension provision 2005.

*Numbers as included in P35 returns from employers to Revenue for 2005.

**Numbers of employees for whom employers are contributing to occupational pension funds as included in P35 returns to Revenue for 2005.

2006

Estimate of the cost of tax and PRSI reliefs for private pension provision 2006.

*Numbers as included in P35 returns from employers to Revenue for 2006.

**Numbers of employees for whom employers are contributing to occupational pension funds as included in P35 returns to Revenue for 2006.

*** The figure for this heading differs marginally from the figure in table 7.2 of the Green Paper on Pensions due to an update of the actual cost figures for RACs and PRSAs for 2006.

2007 (provisional)

Estimate of the cost of tax and PRSI reliefs for private pension provision 2007.

*Numbers as included in P35 returns from employers to Revenue for 2007. Figures are as verified to date but may be understated and subject to revision.

**Numbers of employees for whom employers are contributing to occupational pension funds as included in P35 returns to Revenue for 2007. Figures are as verified to date but may be understated and subject to revision.