Tony Gregory
Ceist:70 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the amounts paid in (a) stamp duty and (b) capital gains tax, on the transactions involving a property (details supplied) in Dublin 4.
Written Answers. - Property Tax.
This House has a right to a wide range of information about the activities of the Revenue Commissioners and I would wish to respect this right to the maximum possible extent.
However, to my knowledge, this House has never overturned the established practice that a Minister for Finance does not answer a parliamentary question about an individual or company's tax affairs, other than where the Deputy asking the question was acting on behalf of the taxpayer. It is my understanding that this is not the case in the present instance. In the circumstances, therefore, I regret that I must accept the advice of the Revenue Commissioners that the specific information sought should not be divulged.
I will say, however, that I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the normal taxation procedures which they would apply in such cases are being applied in this particular instance.