Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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49. To ask the Minister for Finance the valuation the Revenue Commissioners have placed on the Mary Robinson presidential archive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33085/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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Section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for the payment of tax by means of the donation of heritage items. The scheme provides that, where a heritage item is donated to an approved body, a tax credit equivalent to 80% of the market value of the item is available to the donor to be set against any arrears of tax from prior years, any current taxation liabilities, with any remaining balance being available to set against any future tax liabilities.

For the purpose of Section 1003, heritage item means any kind of cultural item including:

- any archaeological item, archive, book, estate record, manuscript and painting; and

- any collection of cultural items and any collection of such items in their setting, which is;

- an outstanding example of the type of item involved, pre-eminent in its class, whose export from the State would diminish the accumulated heritage of Ireland or whose import would enhance the accumulated heritage of Ireland; and

- suitable for acquisition by an approved body.

Determinations regarding donations are made by a selection committee consisting of:

- An officer of the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, who acts as Chairperson on the committee;

- The Chief Executive of the Heritage Council;

- The Director of the Arts Council;

- The Director of the National Archives;

- The Director of the National Gallery of Ireland;

- The Director of the National Library of Ireland;

- The Director of the Crawford Art Gallery Cork Limited;

- The Director of the National Museum of Ireland;

- The Director and Chief Executive of the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

Donations may be made to the following approved bodies:

- The National Archives

- The National Gallery of Ireland

- The National Library of Ireland

- The National Museum of Ireland

- The Crawford Art Gallery Cork Ltd

- The Irish Museum of Modern Art

- Any other body owned or funded by the State or by any public or local authority as may be approved, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. 

Following a determination by the selection committee, section 1003 provides that the selection committee shall request Revenue to ascertain the market value of the donation. As part of this process Revenue may seek outside expert advice.

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that for reasons of confidentiality, they cannot comment on the tax affairs of any individual and this includes valuations on potential donations. However, each year Revenue compile a list of heritage items which have been donated. This list shows the values of donated items and this information is included in Revenue's annual reports, which are published on the Revenue website.