John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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315. To ask the Minister for Finance if an anomaly in relation to accommodation expenses for students (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7583/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Rent Tax Credit, as provided for in section 473B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, was introduced by the Finance Act 2022 and may be claimed in respect of qualifying rent paid in 2022 and subsequent years to end-2025. The Rent Tax Credit has played a valuable role in providing financial support to renters.

In Budget 2025, the value of the credit was increased to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a jointly assessed couple. This increase applies for 2025 and also retrospectively for 2024 in recognition of the cost living pressures facing many renters.

In relation to parents paying for their children who are studying abroad and in a tenancy outside the State, the purpose behind the Rent Tax Credit is to assist as part of the overall response to the accommodation shortage in the private rented residential sector in the State. More specifically, the aim is to provide some financial assistance to renters in that particular sector who may face high rental costs and who do not receive any other housing supports from the State. As such, the eligibility criteria for the credit specify that the rental property concerned must be a residential property located in the State.

As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions regarding taxation measures are made in the context of the annual Budget and Finance Bill processes, at the appropriate time, and having regard to the sound management of the public finances.