Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 February 2026
83. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will request the Tax Strategy Group to examine the possibility of reducing taxation on rental incomes, as an incentive for property owners (1 to 3) to stay in the business, and for new landlords to invest in properties both for long-term and short-term lets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15327/26]
View answerI refer to my replies to the Deputy's recent Parliamentary Questions PQs numbers 492 and 501 of 17 February 2026. As I advised the Deputy, "(l)andlords who are individuals and who are letting residential premises can also claim the residential premises rental income relief under section 480C TCA, which is €800 for 2025 and €1,000 in 2026 and 2027."
The Residential Premises Rental Income Relief (RPRIR) was introduced by section 21 of Finance (No. 2) Act 2023. It is an income tax relief at the standard rate of income tax for individual landlords of rented residential property. The purpose of this relief is to provide an incentive for landlords, specifically targeted at attracting and retaining small-scale landlords in the private sector.
The relief is as follows:
• €3,000 in the tax year 2024;
• €4,000 in the tax year 2025;
• €5,000 in the tax year 2026 and
• €5,000 in the tax year 2027.
This equates to a tax credit of up to €600 in year one, €800 in year two and €1,000 in years three and four. The relief is capped at the individual’s tax liability on rental income from residential property.
The credit is available to individual landlords of residential rental properties. Companies are not eligible for relief. A property that is not let may also be eligible for relief if it is being actively marketed for rent. This is to ensure that landlords can claim the credit where a tenant may have terminated the tenancy during the year and the landlord is seeking another tenant for the property.
To claim the credit for a year of assessment, the landlord must, on 31 December in that year, have complied with Local Property Tax requirements and have valid tax clearance.
In relation to the Deputy's suggestion regarding the Tax Strategy Group (TSG), the TSG is not a decision-making body. Papers on various options for tax policy changes are prepared annually by Department of Finance officials. These papers are simply a list of options and issues to be considered as part of the Budgetary process.
The Residential Premises Rental Income Relief is in place until 31 December 2027 and I would also note that the Programme for Government, "Securing Ireland's Future", commits to continuing this relief.
