Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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146. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that businesses are not burdened due to VAT registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33541/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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VAT is governed by the EU VAT Directive (Council Directive 2006/112/EC), with which Irish VAT law must comply. The VAT Directive provides that VAT registration thresholds may only be raised by Member States to maintain their value in real terms, that is, they may only be increased in line with inflation. The VAT thresholds were increased to their current values, €37,500 for services and €75,000 for goods, on 1 May 2008. As the Central Statistics Office figures show that the consumer price index is below the level it reached in 2008, it is not possible to increase the VAT registration thresholds at this time. I would point out, however, that Ireland’s VAT registration threshold for small enterprises supplying services is the 9th highest in the EU while the goods threshold is the third highest.