Vol. 493 No. 4
110 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Finance the policy considerations which underpinned his decision in granting tax relief to donations by companies to voluntary organisations in the Finance Act, 1998, thereby regularising the operation of the pick-me-up mechanism in that sector not to extend the same facility to donations from bona fide commercial undertakings to duly registered political parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16572/98]
The tax relief for corporate donations to eligible charities, which was introduced in this year's Finance Act, was due in large part to the campaign over a number of years by the Irish Charities Tax Reform Group, a campaign which had the support of many Deputies in this House, across all of the parties. As I said in my budget speech, the tax relief was in recognition of the major contribution charities make to Irish life. The tax relief for charities only applies to money donations; indirect payments in kind are not covered.
There was no question of extending the relief to include donations to political parties, and I have no plans to introduce such a relief.
