Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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273. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on a matter (details supplied) with regard to tax exemption; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33412/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is a scheme of tax relief for the donation of heritage items to the National Collections. Under the scheme, heritage items that are considered outstanding examples of their type and that are pre-eminent in their class, whose export from the State would constitute a diminution of the accumulated cultural heritage of Ireland, or whose import into the State would constitute a significant enhancement of the accumulated cultural heritage of Ireland, and which are considered suitable additions to the accumulated heritage of the State, may be donated to an approved body and 80% of the market value of the item(s) is then offset against the current tax liability of the donor. The approved bodies are as follows: National Archives, National Gallery of Ireland, National Library of Ireland, National Museum of Ireland, Irish Museum of Modern Art and Crawford Art Gallery Cork.

The legislation provides that approved body can also mean "in relation to the offer of a gift of a particular item or collection of items", any other such body (being a body owned, or funded wholly or mainly, 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. The local authority referred to by the Deputy has been approved as an authorised body as required under Section 1003 in relation to the particular donation in this case.

The Section 1003 Selection Committee formally approved the proposed donation and the Revenue Commissioners were asked to place a formal valuation on it in accordance with the provisions of subsection(3) of Section 1003 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The donation has been formally valued on behalf of the Revenue Commissioners and, while my Department is aware of the valuation, it is not in a position to confirm it until the donation process has been completed. It should be noted that the donation process is not yet complete.

Finally, the National Collections, amongst others, have benefited greatly from the operation of this scheme since its inception in 1995 as it has allowed for donations of items of significant heritage and cultural importance which might otherwise have left the country.