Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Mar 1996

Vol. 462 No. 5

Written Answers. - Tax Relief.

Joe Costello

Ceist:

83 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Finance the number of people in private rented accommodation who received tax relief under the provisions of the Finance Act which he introduced in 1995; and the number of landlords who have paid tax in the last five years. [5010/96]

Minister for Finance (Mr. Quinn)

I have been informed by the Revenue Commissioners that up to January 13 1996, the latest date for which statistics are available, tax relief under section 5 of the Finance Act 1995 for rent paid in respect of private rented accommodation was accorded to 10,896 individuals.

Statistics are not recorded in such a manner as would enable the precise information requested by the Deputy relating to the number of landlords who have paid tax to be provided. The only relevant information available is an analysis of the tax returns for the income tax year 1992-93, the latest available, which indicates that rental income was declared by some 33,000 individuals for that year. Additionally, between 1 April 1993 and January 31 1996 the special inquiry branch of the Revenue Commissioners identified 1,149 individuals and companies, including a small number of commercial lettings, who had previously not disclosed or only partially disclosed their income from rental sources for tax purposes. During this period other individuals would have made voluntary disclosures of previously unreturned rental income but statistics on the numbers are not available.