Vol. 476 No. 5
67 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Finance the tax or other incentives which are available to encourage people involved in fine arts to practise their craft in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7600/97]
Section 2 of the Finance Act 1969 empowers the Revenue Commissioners to make a determination, subject to guidelines, that certain artistic works are original and creative works generally recognised as having cultural or artistic merit and earnings derived from such works are exempt from income tax. One of the relevant artistic categories covered is a painting or other like picture.
The law provides that claimants for artists' relief must be solely resident in the State. However, the Revenue Commissioners are prepared to give advance opinions regarding the exemption to claimants resident abroad. When the foreign claimants become resident in the State, a formal determination is given.
Other incentives in this area would be matters falling within the remit of the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht to whom I believe an identical question has been put down today.
