Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2024
179. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the banking levy is in the tax base, under the stability programme update, in each of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively; and the amount in the base in each of those years. [29033/24]
View answer186. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance if scheduled carbon tax increases out to 2030 are included in the SPU revenue projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29181/24]
View answer198. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the budget allocated to the rent tax credit and within the base under the stability programme update, for the years 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028, respectively, in tabular form. [29533/24]
View answer199. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if the help-to-buy scheme is in the tax base, under the stability programme update, in each of the years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively; and the amount in the base in each of those years. [29534/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 179, 186, 198 and 199 together.
When forecasting tax revenues, measures introduced as part of prior budgets are considered to be part of the tax base. When a tax expenditure with a sunset clause in legislation expires, there is a corresponding increase in the tax revenue forecasts in a given year to reflect this. In the same manner, the expiration of a revenue-raising policy measure leads to a corresponding decrease in receipts. The Stability Programme Update (SPU) is produced on a no-policy-change basis. As such, the revenue projections assume the expiration of measures with sunset clauses as currently planned.
My Department has not produced fiscal projections beyond 2027.
The rent tax credit was introduced as part of Budget 2023 and amended as part of Budget 2024. This measure, and the Help To Buy scheme, are incorporated within the tax base as part of the SPU projections and are assumed to expire at end-2025.
The cost of Budget 2024 tax expenditures was set out in the Tax Policy Changes document published on Budget Day and available at the below link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/de3d4-budget-2024-taxation-measures/
Revenue-raising measures are treated in the same manner as tax expenditures. On this basis, the SPU projections incorporate €200 million in revenue raised from the bank levy. This is assumed to expire at end-2024.
If these measures are extended beyond their current expiration date, estimates will be subject to revision based on the latest available data at the time.
Finally, my Department includes indicative estimates for future carbon tax increases in the SPU projections. These are produced on a technical basis and are subject to revision.
