Tax Reliefs
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-10
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

I had to be very disciplined in this role in relation to tax and tax commitments in the advance of the last budget and in advance of the next budget, given that it is the month of February. We will consider all of these matters and the compelling cases that are made. The tax strategy group paper is worth reading in relation to this. After reading and considering it, I wonder whether there could be a further tweaking, development or evolution of the policy points that Deputy Byrne is trying to advance.
Regarding Deputy Callaghan's point, we have to get young people off their phones, off social media and back out exercising, socialising, engaging and making eye contact with one another again. I hope that the House can unite around measures to get people off their phones and back moving again.
I take that point about the extra cost faced by families. I would point out as regards gym membership that we already have the reduced VAT rate of 9%, which is worth around €32 million per annum, be that to the gym operators or being passed on in membership fees. Of course, how we support families with the costs of trying to live healthily is the point that is uniting both Deputies and certainly something that we will keep under review.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:36+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-10