Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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165. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the cost implications of excluding wages paid to reservists from income tax for 2019 and 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30700/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Income tax is deducted by the Department of Defence from the pay of members of the Reserve Defence Force when they are on paid attendance and it is paid over to the Revenue Commissioners in accordance with the usual rules governing such matters.

The amount of tax deducted in 2019 was some €0.45m. In relation to 2020, the amount deducted to end-Sept was some €0.2m. (The amounts involved do not include USC).

Any decision to grant an exemption in relation to the deduction of income tax would be a matter for the Minister for Finance in the first instance.