Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As regards the Home Renovation Incentive (HRI), relief is given by way of an income tax credit as distinct from a tax rebate. Relief, where it is arises, is applied evenly over not less than a two year period.  Where a person’s income level is such that the person pays no tax in a given two year period, then the person will be unable to claim the relief in that period.  However, for the purposes of this relief, where such a person pays income tax in the future then they may be entitled to claim relief at that point. Section 477B(3)(b) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides as follows:

“(b) Insofar as any part of the specified amount cannot be used under paragraph (a) (in this paragraph referred to as 'excess relief') due to the insufficiency of income tax charged on the claimant in the two years of assessment following the year of assessment in which the payment or payments referred to in paragraph (a) were made, the income tax for the year of assessment following those two years of assessment and so on for each succeeding year of assessment shall be reduced by the excess relief until the full amount of the excess relief has been used, provided that the amount of the excess relief used in any year of assessment shall not be greater than the amount which reduces the income tax charged on the claimant in that year of assessment to nil.”

I am advised by Revenue that the income of the person concerned and her spouse was below the relevant exempt income threshold for the years 2015 and 2016 and, as a result, no income tax was paid in those years. Accordingly, thus far, there is no income that is not already exempt from tax against which to set any relief.