Income Tax Act, 1967.

Agreements for relief from double taxation of income.

361.—(1) If the Government by order declare that arrangements specified in the order have been made with the government of any territory outside the State in relation to affording relief from double taxation in respect of income tax, sur-tax or corporation profits tax and any taxes of a similar character, imposed by the laws of the State or by the laws of that territory, and that it is expedient that those arrangements should have the force of law, then, subject to the provisions of this Part, the arrangements shall, notwithstanding anything in any enactment, have the force of law.

(2) The provisions of Schedule 10 shall have effect where arrangements which have the force of law by virtue of this section provide that tax payable under the laws of the territory concerned shall be allowed as a credit against tax payable in the State.

(3) Any arrangements to which the force of law is given under this section may include provision for relief from tax for periods before the passing of this Act or before the making of the arrangements and provisions as to income which is not itself subject to double taxation, and the preceding provisions of this section shall have effect accordingly.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (1), arrangements made with the head of a foreign state shall be regarded as made with the government thereof.

(5) Any order made under this section may be revoked by a subsequent order and any such revoking order may contain such transitional provisions as appear to the Government to be necessary or expedient.

(6) Where an order is proposed to be made under this section, a draft thereof shall be laid before Dáil Éireann and the order shall not be made until a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by Dáil Éireann.

(7) Where any arrangements have the force of law by virtue of this section, the obligation as to secrecy imposed by any enactment shall not prevent the Revenue Commissioners or any authorised officer of the Revenue Commissioners from disclosing to any authorised officer of the government with which the arrangements are made such information as is required to be disclosed under the arrangements.

(8) The Revenue Commissioners may from time to time make regulations generally for carrying out the provisions of this section or any arrangements having the force of law thereunder and may, in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, by those regulations provide—

(a) for securing that relief from taxation imposed by the laws of the territory to which any such arrangements relate does not enure to the benefit of persons not entitled thereto, and

(b) for authorising, in cases where tax deductible from any periodical payment has, in order to comply with any such arrangements, not been deducted and it is discovered that the arrangements do not apply to that payment, the recovery of the tax by assessment on the person entitled to the payment or by deduction from subsequent payments.