Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Finance if he will amend the Finance Act 2013 to ensure that all registered agricultural contractors and FCI member contractors will be entitled to claim carbon tax relief against their income tax as farmers can currently claim this relief but agricultural contractors can not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10678/13]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The carbon tax was increased by €5 per tonne of carbon in Budget 2012 due to budgetary constraints and a requirement to raise revenue to provide for essential public services. Increasing the carbon tax by €5 meant a relatively small increase spread across all fossil fuels rather than larger increases in the excise rates on specific fuels, such as petrol or diesel.

I have no plans to extend the current double deduction for carbon tax in respect of Marked Gas Oil to agricultural contractors.