Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of additional income tax revenue generated by the restrictions on high earners; the amount of income tax revenue contributed by these high earners in the last year for which data is available; the estimated amount of additional income tax revenue generated by the restrictions on high earners; the estimated total amount of income tax revenue to be contributed by these high earners for 2010; if the amount of additional income tax revenue that would be generated by extending in 2010 the restrictions on high earners to those earning more than €250,000, and on a graduated basis to those earning between €200,000 and €250,000; the estimated amount of income tax revenue to be contributed by this group of high earners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44142/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The report on the Analysis of High Income Individuals' Restriction 2007 is published on my Department's website at http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/publications/reports/2009/analytaxrestrict09.pdf.

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the latest relevant information available is derived from income tax returns filed for the income tax year 2007. These returns indicated that total income tax payable for 2007 by high income earners affected by this restriction was €73 million, which includes €40 million collected as a result of the restriction of tax reliefs.

Estimates of the prospective yield to the Exchequer in 2010 on a similar basis are not available but can be assumed to be of the same order of magnitude.

In relation to extending the restriction on high earners, it is assumed the Deputy is referring to the recommendation by the Commission on Taxation to have the restriction applying fully at an adjusted income level of €250,000 with a graduated introduction of the restriction at adjusted income levels between €200,000 and €250,000. While the precise yield would depend on how the graduated introduction between €200,000 and €250,000 would be implemented, it is estimated that the additional full year yield to the Exchequer from this change, based on the available data for 2007, would be of the order of €6 million.