Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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265. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will address a matter in relation to the squeezed middle (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49620/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Budget 2023 included a significant personal tax package with an estimated cost next year of over €1.13 billion. The Standard Rate Cut-Off Point, which is the entry point for the higher rate of income tax, is being increased by €3,200 from €36,800 to €40,000 for a single individual (8.7% increase), with commensurate increases in the bands applying to married persons and persons in civil partnerships. The main personal tax credits (personal credit, employee tax credit and earned income credit) are also being increased by €75 from €1,700 to €1,775 (4.4% increase). The married tax credit is being increased by €150 from €3,400 to €3,550 (4.4% increase). The home carer tax credit is also being increased €100 from €1,600 to €1,700 (6.3% increase).

Furthermore, the 2% rate band ceiling for USC will also be increased in line with the increase in the national minimum wage to ensure that a full-time adult worker who benefits from the increase in the hourly minimum wage rate of €10.50 to €11.30 will remain outside the top rates of USC.

I will bring forward legislative amendments in Finance Bill 2022 to give effect to the above changes from 1 January 2023. The measures will apply to all taxpayers, including married couples, as appropriate to their individual circumstances and income levels.

In the absence of further information regarding the couple's personal situation, such as a breakdown of the individual earnings and how they choose to be treated for tax purposes (for example, joint assessment, separate assessment or single assessment), it is not possible to provide a definitive answer to the Deputy’s question from the perspective of the personal income tax system.

The Tax Policy Changes document published on my Department’s website contains distributional analysis and illustrative examples of the Budget 2023 tax measures - www.gov.ie/en/publication/ccc22-budget-2023-taxation-measures/

With regard to cost of living increases, the Government is acutely aware of the cost pressures currently facing households and businesses and has responded to help alleviate some of this burden. A Budget package of €6.9 billion was recently announced, as well €4.1 billion of one-off measures, which included, for example, the provision of energy credits for all households. This is in addition to €3 billion of measures that were implemented before the recent Budget.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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266. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will review correspondence in relation to the proposed concrete block levy (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49621/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As was announced in my Budget 2023 speech I propose to introduce a levy on pouring concrete, concrete blocks and certain other concrete products, which are used in the construction of buildings. The full range of in scope products was detailed in Annex C the Budget Day publication “Budget 2023: Tax Policy Changes” which is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ccc22-budget-2023-taxation-measures/.

This levy will be set at a rate of 10% on the price of the concrete product, and will apply at the point of first supply of the product in the State. The levy will be applied from 03 April 2022.

In line with a Government Decision taken in November 2021, the target revenue of €80 million per annum generated from this levy is to contribute towards offsetting the cost to the Exchequer, and so the tax-payer, of the Redress Scheme which was put in place to support affected households.

Further detail on the levy, and in particular on how it is to be applied will be set out in the Finance Bill 2022 when that is published on 20 October.

In terms of products sourced from outside the State, it is intended that they levy will apply to them once they are supplied here, as it is intended that the levy will apply at the “point of first supply” in the State.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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267. To ask the Minister for Finance the timescale for the introduction of a levy (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49656/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As was announced in my Budget 2023 speech I propose to introduce a levy on pouring concrete, concrete blocks and certain other concrete products, which are used in the construction of buildings. The full range of in scope products was detailed in Annex C the Budget Day publication “Budget 2023: Tax Policy Changes” which is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ccc22-budget-2023-taxation-measures/.

This levy will be set at a rate of 10% on the price of the concrete product, and will apply at the point of first supply of the product in the State. The levy will be applied from 03 April 2022.

In line with a Government Decision taken in November 2021, the target revenue of €80 million per annum generated from this levy is to contribute towards offsetting the cost to the tax-payer of the Redress Scheme which was put in place to support affected households.

Further detail on the levy, and in particular on how it is to be applied will be set out in the Finance Bill 2022 when that is published on 20 October.