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6 1967

INCOME TAX ACT, 1967

PART II

Schedules A and B

Chapter I

Schedule A

Schedule A.

9. —The Schedule referred to in this Act as Schedule A is as follows—

Schedule A

1. Tax under this Schedule shall be charged in respect of the property in all lands, tenements and hereditaments in the State, for every twenty shillings of the annual value thereof.

2. Paragraph 1 does not apply to lands, tenements and hereditaments the property in which, by virtue of section 53, is charged under Schedule D, Case I.

Estimation of Annual Value

Annual value for Schedule A.

10. —(1) This section applies, save as otherwise provided in this Part, to the annual value of all property with reference to which tax under Schedule A is to be charged.

(2) The annual value of all property shall, except in the cases mentioned in the subsequent provisions of this section, be five-fourths of the rateable valuation of the property for the time being.

(3) The annual value of lands and of farmhouses and farm buildings occupied with lands for the purpose of farming such lands shall be the rateable valuation thereof for the time being.

(4) The annual value of all property situate in the County Borough of Waterford shall be the rateable valuation of the property for the time being.

(5) Where the annual value with reference to which tax is to be charged on any property in pursuance of subsection (2) includes (when computed in accordance with that subsection) a fraction of one pound which is not five shillings or a multiple of five shillings, such fraction of one pound may—

(a) where it exceeds ten shillings, be reduced, for the purpose of such computation of such annual value, to the next lower multiple of five shillings, or

(b) where it exceeds five shillings but is less than ten shillings, be reduced, for the purpose aforesaid, to five shillings, or

(c) where it is less than five shillings, be disregarded for the purpose aforesaid.

(6) Where, in pursuance of subsection (2), tax has been charged for any year of assessment on property with reference to an annual value computed in accordance with that subsection, and the valuation of the property in force in that year of assessment for the purposes of the county rate or the municipal rate is subsequently reduced, and the reduction becomes operative for the purposes of the county rate or the municipal rate not more than three years after the end of that year of assessment, the Revenue Commissioners, if they are of opinion that relief in respect of the said tax so charged for that year of assessment should be granted with reference to an annual value computed at five-fourths of the said valuation as so reduced, may grant such relief by repayment or otherwise.

Owner-occupied private residence.

11. —(1) Where an individual claims in the manner prescribed by this Act and proves that he is the owner of any property to which, but for this section, section 10 (2) would apply and that he occupies it exclusively for the purposes of his own residence, then—

(a) section 10 (2) shall not apply in relation to the property,

(b) the annual value of the property under Schedule A shall, subject to the provisions of this Part, be its rateable valuation for the time being, and

(c) if tax has been charged in respect of the relevant property otherwise than in accordance with this section, any tax overpaid shall be repaid.

(2) Property shall be deemed to be occupied exclusively for the purposes of his own residence by an individual referred to in subsection (1) where it is mainly occupied by him for such purposes and no part thereof is occupied for the purposes of a trade but a part thereof is occupied for the purposes of a profession.

Newly-built houses.

12. —For the purpose of ascertaining, in the case of a house or building rated for the first time, the annual value with reference to which tax is, in pursuance of this Part, to be charged under Schedule A, the valuation with reference to which the house or building is so rated shall be deemed to have been in force for the year of assessment during which the house or building first becomes occupied, but subject to any relief which may be necessary in respect of that part (if any) of the said year during which the house or building was not occupied.

Assessment by reference to annual rent.

13. —(1) In the event of an appeal by a person who considers himself aggrieved by any assessment under Schedule A, if it is proved to the satisfaction of the Special Commissioners by whom the appeal is heard, or the Judge by whom the appeal is reheard, that the annual value on which the assessment is based exceeds the annual rent at which the property in respect of which the assessment is made is worth to be let from year to year, relief shall be given by reducing the assessment and charging the tax on the amount on which it would have been charged if that rent had been adopted as the basis of the assessment instead of such annual value.

(2) If such annual rent at which the property is worth to be let from year to year exceeds the actual rent payable yearly by the tenant or occupier, the landlord or immediate lessor shall be assessed and charged, under Schedule A, on the amount of such actual rent only, and the tenant or occupier shall be assessed and charged under Schedule A on the difference.

(3) Where an inspector or such other officer as the Revenue Commissioners may appoint in that behalf is of opinion that the annual value with reference to which an assessment of tax is made on any property in pursuance of section 10 (2) exceeds the annual rent at which the property is worth to be let from year to year, he may, notwithstanding that there has been no appeal against the assessment and notwithstanding section 416 (6), at any time before the end of the year of assessment grant relief by reducing the assessment and charging the tax on the amount on which it would, in his opinion, have been charged if it had been assessed with reference to the said annual rent instead of the said annual value, and the assessment as so reduced shall be final and conclusive for all purposes.

(4) Where a person who receives rent in respect of any property which is exempt from being rated to the county rate, or which is assessable to the municipal rate on a proportion only of the rateable valuation, is liable to be rated in respect of that rent to the extent of one-half the poundage of any county rate or is liable to be assessed in respect of that rent to the municipal rate on a proportion only of the rateable valuation, the tax under Schedule A shall be assessed and charged upon him upon the full amount of that rent.

Persons Chargeable

Persons chargeable.

14. —Tax under Schedule A shall be charged upon the landlord or immediate lessor of the property, but may, if it appears to the inspector to be necessary or proper, be charged upon the person rated to the county rate or the municipal rate in respect of the property.

Separate assessments under Schedule A or Schedule B in certain cases.

15. —(1) Where a person—

(a) during any part of a year of assessment, whether alone or jointly with another person or persons in the circumstances set out in subsection (2), or

(b) during the whole of any year of assessment, jointly as aforesaid,

is entitled to any estate or interest in property in respect of which he would be assessable separately or with the other person or persons under Schedule A or Schedule B, if he, or he and the other person or persons, were entitled to that estate or interest for the whole of the year, he shall be separately assessed under Schedule A or under Schedule B, as the case may be, in respect of his estate or interest, or his part of the estate or interest, in the property for the part or whole of the year on the appropriate proportion of the annual or assessable value.

(2) The circumstances in which subsection (1) is to apply to a person being entitled to an estate or interest in property jointly with another person or persons are that he has that estate or interest as a coparcener, joint tenant, tenant in common or tenant of lands or tenements in partnership.

(3) Where a person to whom this section applies is liable to bear part of an annual payment reserved out of or charged on the relevant property, that part shall, for the purposes of section 433, be regarded as being payable as a reservation out of or charge on the estate or interest, or the part of the estate or interest, in respect of which he is assessed under this section.

(4) In this section—

annual payment” means any payment from which, apart from any insufficiency of profits or gains of the person making it, tax is deductible under section 433.

Diplomatic representatives.

16. —Tax to be charged in respect of any house or tenement occupied by the accredited diplomatic representative of any foreign State shall be charged on and paid by the landlord or person immediately entitled to the rent of the house or tenement.

Mortgagees in possession.

17. —Any mortgagee in possession of the property mortgaged shall be liable to the like deduction as any landlord, and in any settlement of accounts between such mortgagee and the mortgagor, tax payable on interest due in respect of the mortgage shall be allowed as money received on account of interest.

Right of persons by whom tax is paid to recoupment in certain cases.

18. —(1) A tenant occupier of any property who pays the tax shall, subject to section 93 (2), be entitled to deduct and retain in respect of the rent payable to the landlord for the time being (all sums allowed by virtue of this Act being first deducted), an amount representing the rate or rates of tax in force during the period through which the said rent was accruing due for every twenty shillings thereof, the said deduction to be made out of the first payment thereafter made on account of rent, and any receiver on behalf of the State or other person receiving the rent shall allow the deduction on receipt of the residue of the rent:

Provided that a tenant or occupier shall not be entitled to deduct out of the rent any greater sum than the amount of tax charged in respect of such property as aforesaid, and actually paid by him.

(2) A tenant who pays the tax shall be acquitted and discharged of so much money as is represented by the deduction, as if that sum had been actually paid as rent.

(3) Where any property is subject to the payment of any annual sum, whether payable half-yearly or at any shorter or more distant period, a landlord or owner who has been charged to tax under this Schedule or from whom tax is deductible under this subsection or subsection (1), shall subject to section 93 (2), be entitled on making such payment to deduct and retain thereout so much of the said tax as represents the rate or rates of income tax in force during the period through which the said payment was accruing due, for every twenty shillings thereof (the just proportion of any sums allowed by virtue of this Act being first deducted), and every receiver on behalf of the State, and every person to whom such payment is made shall, on receipt of the residue thereof, and without any charge for so doing, allow the deduction:

Provided that no such person as aforesaid who is also a tenant or the occupier of the property shall be entitled to deduct out of any rent any greater sum than the amount of tax charged in respect of any such property and actually paid by him.

In this subsection “annual sum” means any yearly interest, annuity, rent, rentcharge, fee farm rent or other annual payment reserved or charged upon any property.

(4) The landlord or owner shall be acquitted and discharged of so much money as is represented by the deductions as if that sum had been actually paid.

(5) Where under the Landed Property Improvement (Ireland) Act, 1847, or any Acts amending that Act, an advance of public money to promote the improvement of lands has been made by way of loan, and the repayment thereof has been secured by a rentcharge upon the lands to be paid for a term of years, by which the principal sum advanced will eventually be repaid with interest, the person paying any such rentcharge may deduct and retain thereout so much of the tax under Schedule A charged in respect of the lands, as represents the tax on one-third, and no more, of the amount payable at the rate or rates of tax in force during the period through which the payment was accruing due; and the collectors and receivers of such rentcharges shall allow such deduction upon receipt of the residue of such rentcharge then due.

(6) A tenant occupier for the time being of any property who has been required to pay, and has paid, any sums charged in respect thereof under Schedule A which, under the provisions of this Act, ought to have been or ought to be paid by a former tenant or occupier, may deduct and retain out of any subsequent payment of rent to his landlord, the sum, or any part thereof, which ought to have been or ought to be so paid.

(7) As between the owner and a mortgagee of his property or any person having a charge thereon or entitled to any ground rent, rentcharge, annuity, or other annual sum payable thereout, the owner's right of deduction under this section in respect of tax shall not be affected by any relief afforded under section 23.

Occupier.

19. —Every person having the use of any property shall be deemed to be the occupier thereof.

Deductions and Allowances

Allowance in case of ecclesiastical or collegiate body.

20. —(1) An allowance shall be made under Schedule A in respect of the amount expended during the year preceding the year of assessment on repairs of any collegiate church or chapel, or chancel of a church, or of any college or hall in any university of the State, by any ecclesiastical or collegiate body, or by any person bound to repair the same.

(2) The allowances granted under this section may be granted to the body or person therein described in one sum, either by deduction from the assessment, if any, on such body or person, or by repayment.

Allowance for drainage and other rates and expenditure on sea walls.

21. —(1) An allowance shall be made under Schedule A in respect of—

(a) the amount charged on property by a public rate or assessment in respect of draining, fencing, or embanking;

(b) the amount expended by the landlord or owner of lands on an average of the twenty-one preceding years, in the making or repairing of sea walls or other embankments necessary for the preservation or protection of the lands against the encroachment or overflowing of the sea or any tidal river, although the sums expended may not have been charged on the lands by a public rate or assessment.

(2) The allowances granted under this section shall (unless the payments to which they relate, or any part thereof, be made by a tenant) be made from the assessment on the property concerned.

Procedure and time-limits for claims under preceding provisions.

22. —(1) The person entitled to any of the foregoing allowances which have not been made by way of deduction or abatement from the assessment and which may be made by repayment, may claim the allowance at any time within six years after the expiration of the year of assessment, by notice in writing to the inspector.

(2) The inspector on proof that the claimant is entitled to the allowance shall certify the particulars and amount thereof to the Special Commissioners, who shall issue an order for repayment.

Repairs allowance.

23. —(1) Where tax is charged upon annual value estimated otherwise than by relation to profits, the following provisions shall have effect:—

(a) in the case of an assessment on any lands or on any farmhouse or farm buildings occupied together with any lands for the purpose of farming such lands, the amount of the assessment shall, for the purposes of collection, be reduced by a sum equal to one-eighth part thereof; and

(b) in the case of an assessment upon any premises being industrial buildings or structures within the meaning of section 255, the amount of the assessment shall, for the purposes of collection, be reduced—

(i) where the owner is occupier or chargeable as landlord, or where a tenant is occupier and the landlord undertook to bear the cost of repairs, by a sum equal to one-third of that amount; and

(ii) where a tenant is occupier and undertook to bear the cost of repairs, by such a sum, not exceeding one-third of that amount, as may be necessary to reduce it to the amount of rent payable by him.

(2) Where the amount of the assessment in a case to which subsection (1) (a) applies is more than one-eighth, or in a case to which subsection (1) (b) applies is more than one-third below the rent, after deducting from such rent any outgoing which should by law be deducted in making the assessment, the reductions referred to in subsection (1) shall not be made.

Allowance for maintenance, repairs, insurance and management.

24. —(1) If the owner of any property the assessment on which is reduced under section 23 for the purposes of collection shows that the cost to him of maintenance, repairs, insurance, and management, according to the average of the preceding five years, has exceeded, in a case to which section 23 (1) (a) applies, one-eighth part of the annual value of the land as adopted under Schedule A and, in a case to which section 23 (1) (b) applies, one-third part of that value, he shall be entitled in addition to any reduction of the assessment for the purposes of collection, on making a claim for the purpose, to repayment of the amount of the tax on the excess:

Provided that—

(a) no repayment of tax shall be made under this subsection in respect of the cost of maintenance, repairs, insurance or management, if or to such extent as that cost has been otherwise allowed as a deduction in computing income for the purposes of income tax; and

(b) a claimant shall not be entitled to relief under this subsection in respect of any income the tax on which he is entitled to charge against any other person, or to deduct, retain or satisfy out of any payment which he is liable to make to any other person.

(2) In comparing, for the purpose of this section, the cost of maintenance, repairs, insurance, and management of any land or houses with the annual value of the land or houses, the total cost of the maintenance, repairs, insurance and management on any land managed as one estate, or of any houses on any such land, shall be compared with the total annual value of the land or houses, as the case may be.

(3) The provisions of Schedule 4 and of paragraph IX of Schedule 18 shall apply to claims for repayment under this section:

Provided that if the owner of any land or house makes and delivers to the inspector a declaration as to the cost to him of maintenance, repairs, insurance, and management, and the inspector is satisfied as to the correctness of the declaration, the amount of the allowance to which the owner is entitled under this section shall be certified by the inspector, and repayment shall thereupon be made in accordance with his certificate.

(4) In computing the five-year average for the purposes of this section, the year shall be taken to be the year ending on the 31st day of March, or such other date as may be adopted by the owner of the land or houses with the consent of the inspector, and the five preceding years shall be taken to be those preceding the commencement of the year for which the tax in respect of which a claim for repayment is made is charged.

(5) For the purposes of this section “maintenance” shall include the replacement of farmhouses, farm buildings, cottages, fences, and other works where the replacement is necessary to maintain the existing rent.

Maintenance relief for small properties.

25. —Where the Revenue Commissioners are satisfied, in respect of any house or building of which the annual value ascertained in accordance with section 10 does not exceed six pounds five shillings, that—

(a) such house or building is bona fide let to a tenant, and

(b) the cost of the repairs, maintenance, and insurance of such house or building is borne by the landlord or immediate lessor, and

(c) the annual income derived by the said landlord or immediate lessor from such house or building, taking one year with another, after making allowances for the cost to him of the said repairs, maintenance, and insurance is less than the annual value ascertained as aforesaid of such house or building,

the Revenue Commissioners may grant such relief, by repayment or otherwise, as is just.

Loss by flood or tempest.

26. —(1) Where land has been demised at a reserved rent, without fine or other sum paid or contracted for in lieu of a reserved rent, and loss has been sustained on the growing crops or stock on the lands, or the lands or any part of them have been rendered incapable of cultivation for any year, by reason of flood or tempest, the inspector, on proof to him that the owner has, in consideration of any such loss, allowed or agreed to allow, to the tenant an abatement of the whole or any part of the rent reserved or payable for any year of the term, may in like proportion make an abatement in the assessment under Schedule A for the year for which the abatement of rent has been made, and discharge therefrom the corresponding proportion of tax.

(2) Where any such loss is sustained on lands in the occupation of the owner, the inspector may, on proof of the loss, make the like abatement and discharge of tax under Schedule A as might have been made if the land had been demised to a tenant, and the owner had made such abatement of rent proportionate to the loss sustained as the inspector considers would or ought to have been made in respect of such loss.

Universities, colleges, hospitals, schools and almshouses.

27. —The following further allowances shall be made under Schedule A—

(a) the amount of the tax charged on any college or hall in any university of the State, in respect of the public buildings and offices belonging to the college or hall, so far as not occupied by any individual member thereof or by any person paying rent for the same:

(b) the amount expended on repairs of the public buildings and offices of any such college or hall, and of the gardens, walks, and grounds for recreation, repaired and maintained by the funds of the college or hall:

(c) the amount of the tax charged on any hospital, public school, or almshouse, in respect of the public buildings, offices, and premises belonging thereto, and so far as not occupied by any individual officer or the master thereof whose total annual income, however arising, estimated in accordance with this Act, amounts to £150 or more, or by a person paying rent for the same:

(d) the amount expended on repairs of any such hospital, public school, or almshouse, and of the offices belonging thereto, and of the gardens, walks, and grounds used for the sustenance or recreation of the hospitallers, scholars and almsmen respectively, which are repaired and maintained by the funds of the hospital, public school or almshouse:

(e) the amount of the tax charged on any building being the property of any literary or scientific institution, and used solely for the purposes of that institution, in which no payment is made or demanded for any instruction there afforded by lectures or otherwise, and so far as not occupied by an officer of the institution or by any person paying rent for the same.

Allowance for rates paid by landlord.

28. —In assessing tax chargeable under Schedule A on the landlord or immediate lessor—

(a) if the amount or annual value, on which the assessment is made, is not less than the annual rent reserved or payable to him for the property in respect of which the assessment is made, an allowance or abatement shall be made in respect of the amount of the county rate or the proportion applicable to the relief of the poor of the municipal rate paid or borne by him for the same property in the preceding year; and

(b) if the amount or annual value on which the assessment is made is less than the said rent, an allowance or abatement shall be made of the sum by which the amount of the county rate or of the proportion applicable to the relief of the poor of the municipal rate, added to the sum on which the assessment is made, exceeds that rent.

Repayment of tax in respect of lost rent.

29. —(1) If any landlord or immediate lessor of any property charged to tax under Schedule A has paid the same and proves to the satisfaction of the Special Commissioners, that the rent, or any part thereof, due or payable to him in respect of that property, for the period for which that tax was charged, has been wholly and irrecoverably lost by reason of—

(a) the bankruptcy, insolvency, or absconding of the tenant or occupier by whom such rent was payable; or

(b) the fraudulent assignment or removal of his goods by the said tenant or occupier; or

(c) the property being left waste and unoccupied,

he shall be entitled to be repaid such proportion of the said tax as he shall have paid in respect of the rent so lost; and the Special Commissioners shall issue an order for repayment, in like manner as in other cases of repayment.

(2) Any such claim for repayment shall be made within one year after the expiration of the year of assessment.