I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 79 together.
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the information returned to them provides no basis for estimating the potential uptake of the scheme proposed by the Deputy. However, for illustrative purposes, Revenue have examined Stamp Duty returns and LPT data for 2014 to identify individuals older than 70 years of age who sold a residential property in 2014 and bought one with a lesser consideration in the same year. The numbers affected are small, and exempting these cases from Stamp Duty and LPT would have cost the Exchequer approximately €0.25 million and €0.1 million respectively based on 2014 returns.
These estimates do not take account of any potential change in behaviour which could occur if such exemptions were to be introduced. Nor have the Revenue Commissioners considered the administrative issues that may need to be addressed to implement such a proposal.