Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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249. To ask the Minister for Finance the revenue that would be generated from the removal of exemptions relating to horses and horse breeding. [26037/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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There are no specific exemptions relating to horses and/or horse breeding. Horse breeding is considered to be a trading activity for tax purposes and accordingly, profits from horse breeding are assessable to tax under Case I of Schedule D.  Stallion stud fees were previously exempt from tax although all other profits from horse-breeding, such as the sale of yearlings, were always taxable. With effect from 1 August 2008, however, the exemption from tax for stud fees was removed and profits or gains from the sale of stallions are now fully taxable.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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250. To ask the Minister for Finance the revenue that would be generated from a reduction of pension fund allowable for tax purposes on retirement from €2.3 million to €1.2 million. [26038/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Standard Fund Threshold (SFT) is the maximum allowable pension fund on retirement for tax purposes which was introduced in Budget and Finance Act 2006 to prevent over-funding of pensions through tax-relieved arrangements. The threshold was initially set at €5 million, which was subsequently reduced to €2.3 million in 2010 and further reduced in Budget 2014 and Finance (No 2) Act  2013 to €2 million with effect from 1 January 2014.

Information on the numbers and values of individual pension funds or on individual accrued benefits in pension schemes are not generally required to be supplied to either the Revenue Commissioners or to my Department by the administrators of pension schemes and personal pension arrangements. There is, therefore, no underlying data readily available on which to base reliable estimates of the savings that would arise specifically from a reduction to the SFT of the scale envisaged in the question.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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251. To ask the Minister for Finance the revenue that would be generated from having 2% stamp duty on all property in excess of €500,000. [26039/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am assuming that the Deputy's Question is in relation to stamp duty on residential property, which is currently 1% on the first €1 million and 2% on the excess. 

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the estimated yield to the Exchequer from extending the 2% rate to residential property in excess of €500,000 would be €21 million.

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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252. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to allow value-added tax to be reclaimed by commercial boat operators on small petrol engines, similar to the system that exists for claiming back carbon tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26047/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the Value Added Tax (Refund of Tax) (No. 16) Order, 1983 provides for the repayment of VAT borne or paid by an unregistered fisherman on marked gas oil, marked kerosene and fuel oil used for combustion in the engine of a registered sea-fishing vessel as defined in the Order in the course of a sea-fishing business.  In addition, there is provision for the repayment of mineral oil tax (including carbon tax) on tax-paid mineral oil (including petrol) used for the purpose of commercial sea navigation, including sea-fishing.  The details of both repayment schemes are set out in Public Notice No. 1884 that is available on the Revenue website

I have no plans to extend coverage of the VAT repayment scheme to petrol.