asked the Minister for Finance whether the wholesale tax recently imposed is intended to apply to the invoice price of the goods to which the tax applies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wholesale Tax.
28.
The Finance (No. 2) Act, 1966, under which the Wholesale Tax was imposed, does not apply the tax to the invoice price of goods. The tax is expressed to be, and it is intended in effect to be, a tax on the total moneys received each month by registered manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers in respect of taxable goods sold by them to persons who are not so registered. Where a registered person sells goods at current retail prices, however, he is entitled to make a deduction from his taxable turnover to secure that he pays tax only on the amount he would have received if the sales had been made at wholesale prices.
Is the Minister aware that certain wholesalers are charging 5¼ per cent of the total invoice value of the goods, whereas if they applied the tax at the proper rate, the charge should not be in excess of 4½ per cent?
I am not so aware. Perhaps the Deputy would direct my attention——
If I give the Minister particulars, will he have the matter looked into?
Yes.