Vol. 501 No. 5
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Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 4 Mar 1999
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Written Answers. - Security of the Elderly.
78 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the position of the tax relief for home alarms for the elderly scheme; if it still exists; if not, when Dáil Éireann was advised of its termination; the tax relief claimed under the scheme for the past three years; if he will reconsider the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6575/99]
Section 5 of the 1996 Finance Act introduced a tax relief in respect of the purchase and/or installation of house alarm systems for persons aged between 65 years of age and over and living alone. The legislation, passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas, provided specifically that the tax relief would only be available for the period 23 January 1996 to 5 April 1998. For the tax year 1996-97, 416 claims were made for relief on expenditure of £260,000. For the tax year 1997-98, 188 claims were made for relief on expenditure of nearly £117,000. The tax relief was allowed to lapse, in part, because of the small numbers actually claiming it.
