Vol. 501 No. 2
13 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Finance when he will announce details and a commencement date for the pilot rural renewal scheme consisting of counties Leitrim, Longford and parts of counties Roscommon, Sligo and Cavan. [4774/99]
17 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Finance the date the application for the pilot rural renewal scheme was sent to the EU Commission; if the application was part of the Government submission to the EU for tax relief in the Dublin Custom House Docks site; when he will announce a commencement date for the rural renewal scheme; and if owner occupier and double rent allowance will be part of the tax benefit of the scheme. [4771/99]
36 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Finance the date the application for the pilot rural renewal scheme was sent to the EU Commission; if the application was part of the Government submission to the EU for tax relief in the Dublin Custom House Docks site; when he will announce a commencement date for the rural renewal scheme; and if owner occupier and double rent allowance will be part of the tax benefit of the scheme. [4772/99]
43 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Finance when he will announce details and a commencement date for the pilot rural renewal scheme consisting of counties Leitrim, Longford and parts of counties Roscommon, Sligo and Cavan. [4773/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 17, 36 and 43 together.
The EU Commission was notified separately of both of the schemes mentioned by the Deputies. The pilot rural renewal scheme was notified to the Commission on 17 September 1998 while the proposed extension to end-December 1999 of the tax reliefs for the Custom House Docks Area was notified to them on 30 January 1998.
I will not be in a position to introduce the business elements of the rural renewal scheme until EU Commission approval for the scheme is received. The latest position is that the Commission has raised a large number of queries arising from our initial application and a detailed reply is currently being prepared.
EU Commission approval is not needed for the residential elements of the rural renewal scheme and the reliefs for the rented residential accommodation under the scheme commenced on 1 June 1998. In addition I have made provision in section 41 of the 1999 Finance Bill for the introduction of owner occupier reliefs under the rural renewal scheme for expenditure incurred after 6 April 1999 in the construction, conversion and refurbishment of qualifying residential property.
I will not be in a position to comment on the introduction of double rent allowance for the rural renewal scheme until EU approval for the scheme is received. However, I have made provision for the availability of 100 per cent instead of 50 per cent capital allowances in cases where double rent allowance is no longer available.
