Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be appreciate, it is a longstanding practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment in advance of the Budget on any tax matters which might be the subject of Budget decisions.

Decisions regarding taxation measures are made in the context of the annual Budget and Finance Bill processes, at the appropriate time, and having regard to the sound management of the public finances.

Furthermore, proposals for the amendment of tax reliefs must be assessed in accordance with my Department's Guidelines for Tax Expenditure Evaluation. The Guidelines set out the Department’s approach to the evaluation of tax expenditures, either before the introduction of a tax expenditure (ex-ante evaluation), or in reviewing a tax expenditure that is already in existence (ex-post evaluation). The Guidelines describe the limited circumstances in which tax expenditures should be used as a policy tool to achieve public policy goals. It is important to note that a tax-based incentive should only be considered, in limited circumstances, where it would be more efficient than a direct expenditure intervention.