Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2015
280. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the likely tax expenditure and cost of a published proposal to lower the rate of capital gains tax to 15% on the sale of their own businesses by start-up entrepreneurs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33298/15]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is referring to a proposal under which relevant business owners would be entitled to pay the lower CGT rate of 15% on the first €5 million of chargeable gains.
There are gaps in the data available to the Revenue Commissioners which prevent a definitive costing of this proposal to be provided. Tax returns data available to the Commissioners do not in all cases clearly distinguish between disposals of business assets and non-business assets. Furthermore, it is not clear from the question what businesses would be considered "start-ups" and the Revenue Commissioners have no reliable data to make distinctions between businesses on that basis. Subject to these caveats, it is very tentatively estimated that the cost of introducing a €5m cap and 15% CGT rate for individuals could cost in excess of €100 million in a full year. This assumes that the reduced rate would apply in respect of all quoted and unquoted shares, commercial property disposals by proprietary directors and self-employed individuals and also agricultural land disposals by farmers. This estimate assumes no behavioural impact.
