Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 15 Feb 2001

Vol. 530 No. 5

Written Answers. - Stamp Duty.

Noel Ahern

Question:

111 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Finance if exemption can be sought from payment of stamp duty on a domestic dwelling on health or welfare grounds; if the criteria and process can be outlined; if he can consider such a request on hardship or exceptional compassionate grounds; if exemption could apply in part or total or to the portion of another sale within the last 12 months. [4391/01]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

Stamp duty is a statutory charge and cannot be waived once the liability arises on the face of the deed. There is no scope for exemption, in part or in total, from the payment of stamp duty on health, welfare or hardship grounds. There is also no scope to give credit, in part or in total, for any portion of stamp duty paid on an earlier purchase by the same parties.

However, while there are no specific stamp duty exemptions for such cases as that outlined by the Deputy, in the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2000, I reduced the stamp duty rates on transfers of residential property at the lower end of the market for owner-occupiers and first time buyers. In particular, the revised regime is structured to facilitate those who are trying to buy their first home and who are faced with particular difficulties in the market at the present time. However, as the following table shows, owner-occupiers, who are not first-time buyers, also benefit generally from the revised stamp duty rates.

Stamp Duty Rates for Owner-Occupiers

Previous	Value	Rate	Current	Value	Rate
Up to £60,000	Exempt	Up to £100,000	Exempt
£60,001 to £100,000	3%	£100,001 to £150,000	3%
£100,001 to £170,000	4%	£150,001 to £200,000	4%
£170,001 to £250,000	5%	£200,001 to £250,000	5%
£250,001 to £500,000	7%	£250,001 to £300,000	6%
Over £500,000	9%	£300,001 to £500,000	7.5%
		Over £500,000	9%

It should also be noted that there is no stamp duty on the sale of new residential property where the purchaser is an owner occupier and the house is not greater than 125 square metres. If a new house is more than 125 square metres, stamp duty is charged only on the site cost or a quarter of the value of the house, whichever is the greater.