Simon Harris
Wicklow · Fine Gael · Ireland
“There are more than 10,000 routes and thousands of buses involved and the number of students using the services is not a million miles away from 200,000. The current terms of the scheme are going to continue to apply for the 2026-27 school year.”
“I thank Deputy McDonald for raising what is genuinely an important issue. I do take the point that when we talk about this in the abstract or from a process point of view in here, that for people watching this is their real lived experience.”
“There number of children who have been supported by means of the school transport scheme, as Deputy Fitzmaurice knows and has alluded to, has grown significantly in recent years. Since 2018, the number increased from 120,000 in 2018 to more than 181,000 now. Included in that figure are 24,000 pupils with special educational needs.”
“I knew the Deputy would have to mention the GAA, especially with Galway and Limerick playing at the weekend. I wish everybody involved the best of luck. We are very committed to the school transport scheme. If the Deputy wants to see our commitment, he should look to our budget.”
“An ageing population, increasing healthcare needs, the transition to net zero and the need for continued investment in housing, energy and infrastructure will place a significant demand on public resources.”
“There is also a legitimacy to the point the Deputy made about how it is a legitimate form of transport for some people. We see this working in other European countries. We see it in our nearest neighbours. I do not want to get the regime wrong, but I think they have registration at the point of purchase that allows people to track this.”
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“As the Deputy also rightly says, we have been very clear that the levy must not impact important areas. For example, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, is here. It must not impact the social protection Vote, people with a disability, carers or those weekly payments. It must not impact Department of Health pay allocations - in other words, staffing - or Department of justice staffing. It must not impact housing, disability services or a number of other carve-outs. This is a levy that ranges from about 0.02% to 1.4%. In the context of a budget this year of over €118 billion and a budget next year of over €125 billion, people are being asked to find that level of efficiency. We should and we will, of course, continue to engage honestly and transparently on all these matters.”
“Every week, whether you go to the PAC or certain other committees, you can find examples of where the public service can do more and do better in terms of the expenditure of the public purse. This will not impact 2026 allocations, and the Minister has been very clear about that. As to what Government colleagues are being asked, the Government is a collective. If we decide to do more here, it does not fall from a magic money tree; it has to be found somewhere. That is how the world works. That is how budgeting should work. That is how our medium-term fiscal plan works. Colleagues are being asked, though, in the context of 2027 budgets, where every Government Department's budget will increase, to find efficiencies and reforms. It is a very important moment of truth for the public service as well. This will not impact the 2026 allocations.”
“Voted expenditure is now due to be €147.2 billion by 2030 and €125.5 billion next year, so the budget for every Department - he referred to the Department of Health - will be higher in 2027 than it is in 2026. It is higher in 2026 than it was in 2025. I do not believe there is anybody in Ireland watching in on these proceedings who does not believe that savings, efficiencies and reforms can be found in the public service. People do this in their own lives all the time. I think people remember the times when the Deputy and I were in government and we were asking people to find savings with less. We are now asking people to find savings with a hell of a lot more. Even if there were not a need for a levy, I think that is prudent, good management of the public purse.”
“I believe in honest politics as well, and I think everyone in this House engages in good faith on behalf of the people they represent, as the Deputy does too. I reject the assertion that this is in any manner of means a cut because that would suggest that the budget of one Department will be lower than it currently is. The budgets of all Departments are growing. I do not need to remind the Labour Party, which served in government at a very difficult time, what cuts are like, when we had to make extraordinarily hard decisions to get this country out of the depths of an economic crisis. The level of public expenditure in Ireland has risen. Voted expenditure the year before Covid was €67.4 billion.”
“It is also a sign, though, of the need, the fact that there are now so many children with those complex additional needs. I share the Deputy's view that this is not a discretionary extra or a nice-to-have but a vital part of education provision and family support.”
“I do not want to mislead the House. On the last issue, I need to talk to the Minister for education and ask that she comes back to the Deputy, as I am sure she will. I take the seriousness of the point he makes. Schools will be contacted today because the Deputy is right that they need that clarity. My understanding is that, while the schools will be contacted today, the portal will open next week. This is a programme that is growing very significantly in terms of the numbers of children. We all know in our own constituencies and in our own communities the very significant difference it is making to children as well. Looking back, in 2016, 8,767 children benefited from that scheme. Like I said, last year it was over 70,000. That is a sign of a programme that is working, and I thank all those around the country who provide this programme.”
“The point is there is a need for a longer period of time for schools to apply to get this up and running. For the information of the House, I also understand the Department has received more applications this year across primary, post-primary and special schools compared to last year. In addition, the number of home-based applications has also significantly increased on last year. Perhaps because of that, we want to make sure the children who need this programme get it. That is why my colleague, the Minister for education, will announce that short extension shortly, so that schools that have missed the deadline for very genuine reasons - and the Deputy has highlighted some of those reasons, such as it being a shorter window than previous years - will have the opportunity to reapply.”
“That is a 210% increase. This is a scheme that is rightly growing year-on-year. The intention and continued emphasis of that programme is to mitigate the impact of learning loss, if you like, on those children while the school is closed. All schools can participate in the programme, with a particular focus on increasing participation in special schools. As the Deputy correctly said, the online portal for the summer programme, including the home-based summer programme which is another element of it, was open from 6 to 15 May. I am told all stakeholders were made aware of the timeframe for the portal but I am also very aware that it is a particularly busy time for schools and the community. There is a lot going on as you get towards the end of the school year. A reminder was sent to schools but that is somewhat missing the point.”
“The Minister for education has very much listened directly to the concerns of schools, principals, teachers and parents. I am pleased to confirm the portal will be reopened to allow further schools to apply. The Minister will announce details of the extension shortly because everyone in this House knows the summer programme is an absolutely crucial support for families over the holiday period. It has huge benefits for children in their social and emotional well-being. We are absolutely committed, as I believe everybody across this House is, to growing and supporting that summer programme. You only have to look at the numbers to show the growth in the programme. In 2020, 545 schools and nearly 23,000 children took part in the programme, and just five years later, last year, more than 1,800 schools and almost 71,000 children participated.”
“Yes, we will. I thank Deputy Doherty and Deputies across the House, including on the Government benches, for raising this issue. We will reopen the portal. The Deputy is right; on occasions we can agree in this House. This is a vital programme that plays a very important part in the lives of children with additional needs, be they special educational needs or children from areas of economic disadvantage. The summer programme is a vital support for families. It is specifically designed to support children with complex educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage. We are very much committed to continuing to expand and grow the programme, and the facts will show this is exactly what has happened, which I will get to in a moment.”
“That is a fair question. The Government makes a decision annually on the banking levy, as the Deputy knows, as part of the budgetary process. We will do that again because we find it desirable to do it as part of the annual budgetary process, but I do not see a case for not having a bank levy. In relation to the super charge on what are referred to as bankers' bonuses, while every bank in Ireland and anybody doing business in Ireland might have a view, I do not see a case for changing the policy position in relation to that either.”
“It is also a company that does not particularly like outsourcing, so there may be insourcing opportunities too. I am happy to correspond with the Deputy on the engagements I have had with BAWAG and any commitments it has given.”
“I look forward to the banking competitiveness report at an EU level that will be published during our European Presidency because competitiveness in the banking sector is important. In relation to BAWAG, in the interest of accuracy, I will come back to the Deputy with a note on this. I am very happy to write to the Deputy on this, but I did meet BAWAG and it made it clear that it is committed to the branch network. It made it clear on quite a number of occasions that it sees PTSB's branch network as a real asset and that it does not intend to make any material changes with respect to the fixed asset base. It has also met with the trade unions and others and has talked about safeguarding existing employment rights and pension arrangements in line with the applicable law.”
“I accept that we have legitimate points of difference in relation to bank ownership and there is a legitimate debate to be had there. The position that we have always taken and the position that the programme for Government takes is to move the State out of the ownership of the banks and to restore them to private ownership. I want to make the point that the circumstances in which Ireland ended up being in the position of bank ownership certainly was not strategic. We did not sit down to plan it out. It was an emergency rescue response to the financial crash. The Deputy's point in relation to the lack of competition in retail banking is an important one. We have seen some potentially positive moves lately with Monzo getting a banking licence, along with Avant Money and others.”
“Instead, it notes that branches could shift from being transactions-based based to advisory-based, as it adds new products to the bank’s offering. This is probably something that we would see PTSB and others doing anyway, in terms of the role of a bank branch changing rather than the branch not being there. BAWAG has also indicated its intention to leverage its broader European expertise to strengthen the bank’s competitiveness, including in areas such as SME banking, which would be very welcome, energy-efficiency finance and operational integration. These stated intentions formed part of the overall assessment to support BAWAG’s recommended cash offer.”
“The board of PTSB announced a formal sale process on 30 October 2025. This process was conducted under the Irish takeover rules and resulted in the board unanimously recommending a cash offer from a subsidiary of BAWAG Group AG. BAWAG has set out a long-term ownership approach, including maintaining a strong and resilient PTSB, investing in the business, retaining the headquarters in Dublin, keeping a meaningful branch footprint and safeguarding existing employment rights and pension arrangements in line with applicable law. BAWAG noted that in its view, the PTSB branch network is a real asset. I met BAWAG and its representatives reiterated that point to me as well. It genuinely sees the branch network as an asset. It does not intend to make any material changes with respect to the fixed asset bases.”
“I thank Deputy Doherty. The State's investment in Permanent TSB, PTSB, was made during the financial crisis to safeguard the stability of the banking system and protect depositors. The State has been and continues to be very supportive of PTSB. The Government believes that it is in the long-term interests of PTSB and citizens in general that the bank be returned to full private ownership. I accept that we have differing political views on that. This transaction would mark a successful conclusion after a period of stabilisation. A sale reflects the Department’s confidence in PTSB’s strength and ability to succeed without State support. A sale of the State’s investment would be consistent with the objectives of recovering taxpayer funds that were used to rescue the Irish banks and deploying these to more productive purposes.”
“In fairness to our colleague, the Minister, Deputy Foley, some important steps have been taken in the recent past around capital being for the first time available to invest in public facilities. We need to be conscious - and we are - that one size does not fit all when it comes to childcare. We have to empower parents to make the decisions that make sense for them. Sometimes it is someone coming into your house to mind the children, sometimes it is your children going to someone's house, sometimes it is your child going to a crèche and sometimes it is a voluntary provider. There are many options. That is why to get the best return for the taxpayer, the parent and the child, we need to see the roadmap of reform alongside the fee reduction.”
“I did not realise the Deputy met members of Longford Women's Link today. They are amazing. I visited them in the not-too-distant past and am grateful for the work they do and the opportunities and accessibility they provide to people in a range of areas. I met them in the context of higher education. The commitment in the programme for Government is clear. We want to get childcare to €200 per child per month in the lifetime of the Government. The Deputy is right that fees and the cost to families make up a part of it, but there is also building the system and reform. I would like in the next budget to make progress on childcare costs but also make progress in the roadmap.”
“I do not need to tell the Deputy this as she champions issues like this, but when these families we are talking about are looking for a break and a chance to get ahead and not just get by, tax is a part of it. Other costs, like childcare, are part of it. Also, how can we structurally try to reduce energy costs? The budget will need to look at all of this in the round. Tax is a part of it, but so too is whether we can make permanent structural cost reductions in key areas like childcare.”
“I fully agree. We want work to always pay and we want people who work hard to be able to get ahead, not just get by. The tax system is an important part of that. That is why we are committed to delivering a personal income tax package. I will make a point to somewhat balance my comments. While it is absolutely correct that Irish people pay the higher rate of tax at a lower entry point than many other European countries, when you look at the social insurance contributions other countries make, that somewhat adjusts for that. The broader point the Deputy makes is entirely correct. We have taken people from paying the higher rate of tax at around €33,000 in 2015 up to €44,000 now. I would like to see more progress on that.”
“That formula was an interesting and potentially desirable one. Budget 2026 was the first of five budgets to be delivered by this Government. There was not a personal income tax package in the first one. I think there needs to be one in the next four, all things being equal. On the exact levers we will pull and the exact menu to use around personal tax, I am not an ideologue when it comes to that. I want to see what is in the best interests of families and how people benefit the most. I would like, if possible, to anchor tax policy for the next four budgets. In other words, if we pick an option for the next budget, could that be a roadmap for the following three to provide certainty?”
“As the Deputy will be aware, to ease the burden facing average and middle-income earners, over successive budgets the previous Government substantially increased the entry point to the higher rate of income tax for all earners by €8,700, or around 25%. The main tax credits increased by €350, or around 21%. In line with the Government's policy of ensuring full-time workers on the minimum wage remain outside the top rate of USC, the ceiling of the 2% USC rate band was increased. Budgets 2024 and 2025 also cumulatively reduced the 4.5% rate of USC to 3%. Broadly, the income tax measures implemented over the period of the previous Government are expected to be in line with wage growth. We used a formula in the previous Government to allow people to earn more before they paid the high rate of tax and to make changes to the USC.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question and for her consistent raising of this issue around working families. Programme for Government 2025: Securing Ireland's Future contains specific undertakings with regard to personal taxation. It commits to "implement[ing] progressive changes in taxation if the economy remains strong, including indexing credits and bands to prevent an increase in the real burden of income tax". It also states that "in the event of an economic downturn and unexpected deterioration in the public finances ... [w]e would also postpone changes to income tax credits or bands, as we did in Budget 2021". As we plan for budget 2027, it is my intention to have a personal income tax package as part of that budget.”
“There is an argument to be had around CGT - on the rates, the reliefs, the exemptions and how it acts as an incentive or otherwise to entrepreneurial activity. I have given views on that, as has the Taoiseach. As is always the case in a budget, all this will come down to balance and priorities as part of the overall tax package. We will have the national economic dialogue in Dublin Castle in June. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, and I will publish the summer economic statement in July. That will give an indication of how the Government intends to divide between spending and tax. I have no doubt there will be an opportunity to have intense engagement between then and the budget in October as to the best menu of options to deploy. There are always trade-offs. CGT will, as with all taxes, be reviewed as part of that.”
“At a headline level, we probably do, but when the reliefs and exemptions are factored in, does that alter the picture somewhat? It does. All these things are kept under review. As of now, there is no plan to reintroduce indexation, but I will ask my officials to reflect on what the Deputy has said and will come back to him with further views.”
“I hear the Deputy and I never like to disagree with my constituency colleague, but the point I would make is that we consider all taxation measures as part of the annual budgetary process through the tax strategy group papers and the likes. Being honest with the House, I would be concerned with an indexation for the CGT space when one could make similar arguments or cases for indexation of other taxes that we do not currently do that with either. My biggest priority in terms of a taxation package this year will be around personal income tax because there is a real need for that, and I know the Deputy and I share a view on that. There is a compelling case around CGT, how it operates, how it works and the rate, the relief and the exemptions. Ireland often gets told we have a high rate compared to other European countries.”
“It is also important to bear in mind that there is no indexation of other taxes. We do not currently have an indexation of income tax, corporation tax or capital acquisitions tax. The programme for Government does commit to maintaining a broad tax base to guard against the need for counter-cyclical fiscal policy in the event of a downturn and to prepare for future budgetary challenges relating to an ageing population. CGT is an important part of our system to ensure that taxation is not focused solely on income tax and that those who benefit from gains in the values of their assets are included within the tax net on an equitable basis. As with all taxes, CGT is obviously subject to ongoing review, which does involve consideration and assessment of the rate of CGT, the relevant reliefs and exemptions, and wider tax policy considerations.”
“Indexation relief, does, however, continue to be available in computing a chargeable gain arising on the disposal of an asset where the deductible expenditure on that asset was incurred prior to the tax year of 2003, with the relevant indexation multiplier being determined by reference to the year in which the expenditure was incurred. Indexation relief was ended as a means of gradually broadening the tax base, and my officials would contend it has been proved to effective in that regard. It is the case that when indexation was introduced in the 1970s, inflation was extraordinarily high. Since then, inflation, while somewhat high now, has been consistently much lower, even taking into consideration spikes we have had around the Covid pandemic and recent geopolitical events.”
“I thank Deputy Timmins for raising the matter. Ireland's capital gains tax rate is 33% and is paid on the chargeable capital gain made when a person disposes of an asset. The chargeable gain is usually the difference between the price paid for the asset and the price it is disposed of and is payable by the person making the disposal. Section 556 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides a measure of relief for capital gains, which are attributable purely to inflation, commonly known as indexation relief. The Finance Act 2003 amended section 556 such that indexation relief does not apply from the 2003 tax year onwards.”
“Exclusion is used on a limited basis. It reflects exclusions mandated by legislation. The investment strategies for the Future Ireland Fund, FIF, and the Infrastructure Climate and Nature Fund, which are also to be extended to the ISIF, include certain companies listed on the UN database of business enterprises involved in specified activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. Certain Israel-based companies that are on the UN database and derive a significant element of turnover from Israel and the OPT will be excluded from investment by the ISIF, FIF and the Infrastructure Climate and Nature Fund.”
“I am not trying to equivocate, though I take the criticism. However, I have a particular legal role as Minister for Finance and I am not in a position to direct the NTMA or the ISIF about this. That is why I am perhaps somewhat precluded, more than other Deputies, from expressing my personal view because the law of the land is clear that these investment decisions must be independent of the views of the Minister for Finance of the day. The NTMA operates a commitment to be a responsible investor as a steward of public assets, by protecting and enhancing the long-term value of the ISIF and the reputation of the NTMA and how it delivers its mandate as manager and controller of the ISIF. In this context, the ISIF operates an exclusion policy that is consistent with its statutory mandate, as amended from time to time.”
“There is no external indication of the level of revenue that arises from these activities and no indication it is significant in their overall worldwide activities. Therefore, it is difficult to know whether these companies have economically significant activities in the OPT. However, I take the broader point the Deputy made and I stress the views of this House to the NTMA on a frequent basis.”
“I fully accept the Deputy's sincerity on the issue and share much of his sentiment. I pointed out the NTMA Acts and the Deputy acknowledged that. I also acknowledge that the ISIF has taken the investment decision to divest from six companies, all of which remain on the updated UN database, with a value of more than €2.95 million at the time of divestment. While these are decisions for the ISIF to make, some of the companies that operate are large global companies and they may have a very small presence in the occupied Palestinian territories. It is not perhaps obvious, or possible to work out, the level of benefit individual companies gain from being active in the OPT. It is a somewhat pedantic point, but it is somewhat important.”
“Unfortunately, divestment from these companies does not mean that they would stop deriving income from activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, OPT. The NTMA also divested from directly held sovereign bond holdings within the global portfolio across Egypt, Israel, and Jordan in July 2025.”
“Legislation underpinning the ISIF reflects a commitment to be a responsible investor, as a steward of public assets, by protecting and enhancing the long-term value of the ISIF and the reputation of the NTMA in how it delivers its mandate. The ISIF has taken an investment decision to divest from six companies, all of which remain in the UN database, with a total value at the time of the divestment decision of approximately €2.95 million. The six companies - I think I have read the names to the Deputy previously - were a variety of banks and a chain store. It is important to state that the type of companies on the UN database in which the ISIF still has holdings are ones that operate all over the world and that the ISIF's investment in them represents a very small proportion of its overall investments. This is part of the challenge.”
“The Deputy is referring to the UN Human Rights Council database, known as the UN database, which identifies businesses involved in specific activities. It was first issued in 2020, updated in June 2023 and most recently updated to include 158 companies in September 2025 as mandated by the UN Human Rights Council. It is important to state that the ISIF has complete independence in implementing its investment strategy under the law of the land, the NTMA Acts, through an investment committee that reports to the NTMA's board. I met the NTMA earlier this year and was assured that the ISIF will continue to monitor its holdings to ensure that investments remain aligned with its risk profile and investment parameters.”
“I restate the Government's clear opposition to illegal Israeli settlements, which are contrary to international law and damaging to the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. Ireland has demonstrated its support of the Palestinian people and taken practical steps at national, EU and international levels. On 13 January, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy McEntee, announced that Ireland will provide €42 million in assistance to the people of Palestine in 2026, including €20 million in core funding to support the work of the United Nations Relief Works Agency, UNRWA, in providing vital services to refugees in Gaza and the West Bank. Ireland has provided more than €122 million in support to the people of Palestine since January 2023. This includes €68 million to UNRWA, of which €10 million was provided this January.”
“The ISIF discloses its direct portfolio total interest income in its financial statements and the end of the 2024 financial statements states the interest income earned in 2024 was €126 million. The position at the end of 2025 will be disclosed in the 2025 financial statements.”
“The Comptroller and Auditor General is welcome to look at anything he wishes to look at. Indeed, it was the Comptroller and Auditor General who put that figure on the record of the Committee of Public Accounts on 14 May and it was a figure for the end of 2024. It was a moment in time and the Government has thankfully been in a position to make a number of decisions about what to do with that resource, including investing in infrastructure such as water, housing and the electricity grid. There is no question of waste. There is a question of correct deployment of a one-off resource to try to improve critical infrastructure, particularly around water, housing and electricity. I am looking at the end of the ISIF's 2024 financial statements.”
“I would just point out that the assertion around €7.7 billion was at a point in time at the end of 2024. What I have tried to do this evening is to update the Deputy on the current position because we have seen that number reduce as the result of investment decisions we have made, including for infrastructure projects. I will send the Deputy a note.”
“I appreciate the different political, ideological or policy positions on bank ownership. It is legitimate for people to hold different views on these subjects. The stated intention of the Government, and I think successive Governments, was to seek to return those banks to private ownership and to seek to recoup the money that the taxpayer had put into those banks, namely, AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB. That objective was largely fulfilled. I do not think the State should be in the business of owning banks. We all know how we ended up in that position as a State and it certainly was not by some sort of design. It was because of the financial crash and the chaos that ensued. I am conscious that I am reading out a lot of figures and I am happy to send the Deputy a detailed note on the issue.”
“The figure of €7.7 billion was at the end of 2024 and the unaudited end of 2025 value was €6.4 billion. As part of budget 2025, the Government decided to use €3 billion of the proceeds from bank share disposals to provide funding for infrastructure, including water, housing and the electricity grid, and in the case of housing and water is additional to ongoing Exchequer expenditure. In 2025, €514 million of the €1 billion allocated for Uisce Éireann was paid over. The remaining balance will be paid over the period out to 2028. In late 2025, a further €750 million was drawn from the directed portfolio to provide funding for investment in the electricity grid. The balance of €1.25 billion is for the Land Development Agency. The remainder of the directed portfolio is intended to be used in support of the national development plan.”
“Of the cash and cash equivalents, €4.838 billion was invested in Irish Exchequer notes. Exchequer notes help to ensure capital preservation and are relatively liquid, which is an important consideration to meet the timing and quantum of transfers out of the directed portfolio. The majority of the portfolio is now in Exchequer notes. The resources are actively being drawn down to support major infrastructure investment priorities. The end of 2025 position will be disclosed in the 2025 financial statements, which will be published in the coming months. The unaudited end of 2025 value of the directed portfolio was €6.4 billion and since the end of 2025, the value of the portfolio has been further reduced due to drawdowns to the Exchequer on foot of directions.”
“I would be interested to one day tease through the Deputy's view on the investment accounts. I hope that is something he might consider supporting. As the Deputy is aware, ISIF is composed of the discretionary portfolio and the directed portfolio. ISIF holds the directed portfolio under direction from the Minister for Finance, comprising receipts of bank share sales. The National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA, has advised that at the end of 2024, the directed portfolio had a value of €7.7 billion, composed of ordinary shares in AIB, valued at the market price of €5.31 per share; €5 billion in cash and cash equivalents, including commitments of €165 million to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI; and a €305 million loan to Home Building Finance Ireland, HBFI.”
“CGT, as with all taxes, is subject to ongoing review, which involves consideration and assessment of the rate of CGT and relevant reliefs and exemptions from CGT, and the policy and legislation around it will be reviewed as part of the annual budget and finance process. I will certainly reflect on what the Deputy has raised.”
“I thank the Deputy and will reflect on what he has said. I would point out that there are already a number of exemptions. If I am being bluntly honest with the House, I do not believe that existing levels of CGT are acting as a disincentive to investment because when they are looked at beyond the headline rate, we already have a range of exemptions and reliefs on CGT, which are designed to try to foster certain activities and avoid taxing people in situations that would be seen as unreasonable, such as retirements or the sale of a principal private residence. These reliefs reduce the level of CGT actually paid by many individuals, and include an annual exemption for the first €1,270 of gains arising from the disposal of assets. In addition, there are targeted reliefs for entrepreneurs and angel investors.”
“We will have a national economic dialogue in June, the summer economic statement in July and the budget in October. We will keep all these matters under review. As all Ministers for Finance are meant to say, all taxation matters are for budget day. We will give consideration to all matters. This evening, I wanted to usefully put the cost on the record of the House so that we can all be informed as we consider those suggestions. That cost would be approximately €87 million in a full year for each 1% reduction.”
“I heard the Taoiseach's comments. I hear regularly from stakeholders and business groups about the importance of making sure that our taxation system is pro-enterprise. What I would say in response is that while that is important, everything is a balance. There will be a finite amount of things we can do in the budget on tax. I am eager that there will be a personal tax package. There was not one last year. I am very eager there will be one in the next budget and I know that is a view shared across the Government. It is probably shared by people beyond the Government. That is one of the options I want seriously considered and acted upon as part of the budget. We will obviously consider and review through our tax strategy group papers.”
“CGT is an important part of the system to ensure taxation is not focused solely on income tax and that those who benefit from gains in the value of assets are included. As with all taxation measures, it will be kept under review as part of the budget.”