Liam Aylward
Question:174 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny is in receipt of the correct amount of tax allowance to date. [8988/01]
Written Answers. - Tax Allowances.
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the inspector of taxes received a request from the taxpayer for a certificate of tax-free allowances on 9 March 2001. The inspector wrote to the taxpayer on 16 March 2001 requesting details of the taxpayer's earnings during the period from 6 April 2000, that is, the beginning of the current tax year, to 29 January 2001 when he took up his current employment. No reply has been received to date.
On 21 March 2001 the inspector issued a certificate of tax-free allowances for the taxpayer. The certificate was issued on a week-one basis, that is, effective from the date of issue only, because the inspector does not have sufficient information about the taxpayer's earnings in the current tax year to determine what his current tax-free allowances should be. When the inspector receives the information requested in his letter of 16 March 2001, he will review the taxpayer's tax-free allowances and make any necessary amendments.
Gay Mitchell
Question:175 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on the contents of a letter (details supplied) with regard to individualisation of tax allowances and the care of their child. [9021/01]
I will forward to the Deputy a copy of a reply which my office recently sent to the person concerned. This clearly sets out the position in the matter. While I sympathise with the circumstances of the persons referred to, the changes made to the standard rate band over the last two budgets do not lead to any taxpayer paying more tax. On the contrary, the tax packages in the last two budgets, which amount to over two billion pounds, will benefit all income earners.