There were a number of minor updates to several other manuals since we last issued Tax News. Please follow the link below for a short summary of these changes. Guidelines on PAYE Assessments to reflect the statutory time limit on the making or amending of PAYE assessments on employers. Additional guidance on how to appeal a PAYE assessment is included. Guidance on health and well-being related benefits confirms that no benefit in kind charge arises where an in-house medical plan includes a GP service, which is available to all employees and directors (paragraph 7); clarifies that relief in respect of speech and language therapy, or for educational psychological assessments, will only apply in certain circumstances. Donations to approved sports bodies to include a link to the "List of Sports Bodies with Tax Exemption", as published on the Revenue website. Guidance on the tax treatment of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) regarding allowances paid to MEPs and transitional allowances and pensions paid to former MEPs. Income tax credits and reliefs for certain older persons and individuals caring for certain older persons reflects changes to the upper age limit for a PRSI exemption introduced by the Department of Social Protection, effective since 1 January 2024. Guidance on certain payments to Local Authority Chairpersons and Members regarding the exemption from tax that is available for maternity-related administrative support allowance payments to Local Authority members, and the tax treatment of security allowance payments. Guide to Exchange of Information under Council Directive 2011/16/EU, Ireland’s Double Taxation Agreements and Tax Information Exchange Agreements and the OECD/Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. Guidance regarding the levy on authorised insurers. to correct an error in the rates of levy which were previously published relating to insurance contracts which are renewed or entered into on or after 1 April 2024. Stay and Spend Tax Credit to remove references to the service provider registration process as the period for such registration has now ceased and the information pertaining to same is no longer relevant. Exemption from income tax in respect of certain payments made under Employment Law to confirm that the Industrial Relations Acts 1969 is a “relevant Act” for the purposes of section 192A TCA 1997.  

Revenue has published  new Stamp Duty Manual to provide guidance on Miscellaneous Acts which contain Stamp Duty Exemptions. The manual provides a list of the current stamp duty exemptions contained in legislation, which includes the  Stamp Duty Consolidation Act 1999 together with a number of Statutes enacted before 1922 and Acts of the Oireachtas which were enacted from 1922 onwards.

Revenue has published a new Tax and Duty Manual which contains an overview of the administration of Pillar Two rules. In addition, the recently published Tax and Duty Manual regarding the global minimum effective tax rate for large groups and companies has been updated. The updated manual now includes guidance on the operation of the Pillar Two rules along with the detailed correlation table which cross references the legislation contained within Part 4A of the TCA 1997 with: the relevant article of the EU Minimum Tax Directive, the relevant article of the OECD Model Rules, OECD Commentary, where relevant, and OECD Administrative Guidance, where relevant.

Revenue has informed us that it will cease the Relevant Contract Tax (RCT) registration of circa 47,000 predominantly Business Division cases who are now inactive for RCT. This will not impact other tax registrations. Taxpayers with no RCT payments made/received/contracts entered into in 2021, 2022 or 2023 will be considered inactive and will have their RCT registration ceased. Revenue has also advised that, if a taxpayer is linked to a new RCT contract notification in the future, their RCT registration will be auto reactivated without requiring intervention by the taxpayer or their agent.

Revenue has updated the Capital Acquisitions Tax Manual which provides an overview of the valuation date for Capital Acquisitions Tax purposes. The updated guidance reflects amendments made by Finance (No 2) Act 2023 whereby the clawback periods for agricultural relief and business relief now commence on the valuation date. In addition, the phrase "In the context of real property" has been removed in paragraph 8.2.2 to clarify that section 13 CATCA 2003 applies to any property that is held under a joint tenancy. 

Revenue has amended the Tax and Duty Manual which outlines information and services for customers with disabilities. The manual provides details of Revenue public office locations where the Loop Counter system is available for hearing-aid users.

Revenue has released a teaching module on its website to provide an opportunity to introduce tax to Transition Year students. Revenue has provided the resources teachers need to support delivery of this module in the classroom and for students’ exploration of tax. The module consists of eight units encompassing income tax, VAT, USC, PRSI, customs and the shadow economy.

Revenue has updated the Tax and Duty Manual which provides guidance on employer provided vehicles. The updated manual: outlines the current cash equivalent calculation (paragraph 4.1), reflects the extension of the temporary reduction to OMV under Finance Act (No. 2) 2023 (paragraph 4.1.3), reflects the extension of relief available in respect of battery electric vehicles to 2027 (paragraph 6.3), illustrates the combined effect of the temporary reduction to OMV and relief available in respect of battery electric vehicles (paragraph 6.3.1), includes a table showing the business mileage applicable from 1 January 2023 (Appendix A).

Revenue has updated the Tax and Duty Manual regarding the appointment of experts to assist in audits of the Research & Development (R&D) Corporation Tax Credit. The updated guidance reflects the start of the new independent expert panel on 8 August 2024. In addition, in section 3, it provides that where a 'pre-meeting' is held between Revenue and the independent expert, the company may choose to be present or represented at that pre-meeting. Further information is available in eBrief No.212/24.

Revenue has published a new Tax and Duty Manual to provide guidance on the new Residential Premises Rental Income Relief (RPRIR) contained in section 480C TCA 1997.  The relief applies to rental income in the tax years 2024-2027 inclusive. The manual outlines who can claim the relief, how much relief can be claimed, how joint ownership is addressed, and the clawback of the relief in certain circumstances.

Revenue has updated the Tax and Duty Manual which provides guidance on accessing and registering for MyEnquiries. The updated manual includes new guidance on the priority email address feature in ROS (paragraph 3.3.3). As previously reported, Revenue is now providing a facility in MyEnquiries for users to mark a designated email address as the priority email address for sending Revenue-initiated queries. This feature enables users with multiple email addresses to identify one address as the priority email for Revenue-initiated MyEnquiry correspondence.

Revenue has published a new Tax and Duty Manual which provides guidance in relation to the stamp duty repayment provisions contained in the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act (SDCA) 1999. Where an entitlement to a repayment of stamp duty arises under SDCA 1999, Revenue will repay the Stamp Duty only where the general requirements of section 159A SDCA 1999 are also met, with interest on the repayment payable in accordance with section 159B SDCA 1999.