Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2012
173 Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Finance to indicate, in tabular form, the number of employees who have availed of the revenue assist scheme for each of the past seven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11493/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraSections 472A and 88A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provide tax incentives for both employers and employees, to help the long-term unemployed to return to employment. The relevant information available in relation to employees who availed of the Revenue Job Assist scheme is for the income tax years 2003 to 2009 inclusive, the latest year for which the necessary detailed information is available.
The information requested is set out in the following table:
|
Year |
Numbers |
|
2003 |
900 |
|
2004 |
550 |
|
2005 |
550 |
|
2006 |
360 |
|
2007 |
360 |
|
2008 |
330 |
|
2009 |
390 |
174 Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider changing the qualifying criteria for the revenue assist scheme from persons who have been on the live register for 12 months to persons who are on the live register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11494/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraSections 472A and 88A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provide for the Revenue Job Assist scheme which provides tax incentives for both employers and employees to help the long-term unemployed return to employment. Both incentives apply in respect of individuals who have been unemployed for at least 12 months and are in receipt of a specified social protection payment or who are in a category approved for the purposes of the scheme by the Minister for Social Protection with the consent of the Minister for Finance. The requirement to be unemployed for at least 12 months helps to target the relief at those who can find it more difficult to secure employment because of the extended period for which they have been out of work. It also protects the Exchequer from the potential for significant deadweight costs that would be associated with making the relief available for all individuals on the live register that subsequently obtain employment.
The Deputy may be interested to note that I have decided to extend the scheme so that individuals signing solely for credits with the Department of Social Protection can also qualify for the relief, providing that all of the other governing conditions of the scheme are met. This is provided for in Section 10 of Finance Bill 2012.
