The Government acknowledges and appreciates the work undertaken both before and after the storms by a wide range of individuals including the emergency services, road and electricity crews and community and voluntary organisations.
However, the rates at which Income Tax is charged, and the amounts subject to each rate are set out in section 15 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The legislation does not allow for an alternative tax treatment for income earned in particular circumstances such as, for example, income earned by individuals working to restore roads and electricity after the recent storms.
All individuals are subject to income tax at the standard rate (currently 20%) up to their standard rate cut off point, and at the marginal rate (currently 40%) above that point. The current standard rate cut off points in respect of different classes of individual are set out in the table below:
Individual's Status
|
2017 Standard Rate Cut Off Point
|
Assessed as a Single Person
|
€33,800
|
Jointly Assessed - One Income
|
€42,800
|
Jointly Assessed - Two Incomes (max)
|
€67,600*
|
Assessed as a Single Person and qualifies for the Single Person Child Carer Credit
|
€37,800
|
*where each spouse earns a minimum of €24,800.
I have no plans to introduce changes which would enable the income tax code to accommodate circumstances along the lines of those mentioned by the Deputy.