asked the Minister for Finance if it is proposed to grant trustee status to building societies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Building Societies' Status.
34.
I am favourably disposed to granting trustee status to building societies that meet appropriate financial and management requirements. I am preparing proposals at present and will enter into consultations with the societies and other interested parties at an early date.
May we take it from the Minister's reply that consultations have not yet taken place with the building societies about granting them trustee status?
No, there had been discussions with the building societies but the law requires that several authorities, including the Central Bank, the Irish Banks Standing Committee, the Stock Exchange, public trustees and others must be consulted about these matters. As I mentioned last June, the negotiations are necessarily prolonged but we are doing our best to push them forward with all possible speed. As soon as the final details are agreed with the building societies, we will take the necessary steps to confer trustee status on them.
35.
asked the Minister for Finance if a notice of earnings or profits is made available to any Government Departments or State bodies; and, if so, if he will name these Departments and State bodies.
36.
asked the Minister for Finance if copies of assessments for income tax and surtax purposes are furnished to health boards.
37.
asked the Minister for Finance the information regarding income and profits that is available to employees of health boards from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners.
38.
asked the Minister for Finance if there has been any change in recent times in the traditional secrecy maintained by his Department regarding the income tax affairs of individuals.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take questions Nos. 35, 36, 37 and 38 together.
Under the provisions of section 12 of the Social Welfare (Pay-Related Benefit) Act, 1973, the Revenue Commissioners may give to the Minister for Social Welfare such information in relation to reckonable earnings, which are defined in section 1 of that Act, as may be necessary for the purposes of pay-related benefit and pay-related contributions. Apart from the limited information which the Revenue Commissioners may supply under this provision, the obligations imposed by the secrecy provisions in relation to the income tax affairs of individuals are strictly observed.
Copies of assessments to income tax and sur-tax on individuals are not made available by the Revenue Commissioners to health boards, Government Departments or State bodies and no information regarding income and profits of individuals is furnished by the Revenue Commissioners to employees of health boards, other than information which they are entitled to in relation to their own personal tax affairs.