Vol. 486 No. 1
76 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Finance if he will allow the annual cost to householders providing their own private water supply as a direct tax deductable expense in view of the abolition of service charges to householders on public supplies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1186/98]
As the Deputy may be aware, a comprehensive package of measures has been introduced since March 1997 by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government with the objective of improving the overall quality, reliability and efficiency of rural water supplies. In formulating this package of measures it was considered that the most appropriate way to meet the concerns of private householders providing their own private water supplies was to introduce a new grants scheme for the provision of new, or improved, water supplies to private houses. Given this, I do not propose to introduce any new tax relief in this area.
