Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 September 2017
81. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the fact that foreign companies may be partnering with Irish companies for the purpose of availing of section 481 tax exemptions; and if he has put in place mechanisms to ensure that real work and real development happens within Ireland as a result of the section 481 scheme. [40510/17]
View answer82. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Finance if Irish companies receive section 481 tax exemptions for work exclusively carried out outside Ireland; and if so, the value of the section 481 tax exemptions granted to Irish companies for work carried out in total or in part abroad for each of the past five years. [40511/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 82 together.
I am advised by the Revenue that the film tax credit, found in section 481 Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, provides for a tax incentive for companies which produce films in Ireland. The tax incentive may apply to any portion of the production, or post-production work, carried on in Ireland. The design of the film tax credit ensures that the work on the production of a qualifying film takes place in Ireland.
An application for eligibility for the relief must be made prior to the completion of the film. For each film, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht specifies the number of trainees who must be engaged in the production of the film in Ireland. The aim of this trainee requirement is to ensure that a skilled workforce is available to work on the production of films here.
Relief is given by way of a tax credit calculated with reference to the “eligible expenditure” incurred in producing the film. “Eligible expenditure” is defined as amounts paid to employees who carry out their employment in Ireland plus any amounts spent on the goods and services which are used in the production of the film in Ireland and which were acquired from a person in Ireland. Therefore, relief under section 481 is not given in respect of expenditure incurred outside of Ireland.
The companies who have received the film tax credit are published on the Revenue website at: http://www.revenue.ie/en/companies-and-charities/reliefs-and-exemptions/film-relief/beneficiaries-of-film-relief.aspx.
