Income Tax Act, 1967.

Children.

141.—(1) If the claimant proves that he has living at any time during the year of assessment any child who is either under the age of sixteen years or who, if over the age of sixteen years at the commencement of that year, is receiving full-time instruction at any university, college, school, or other educational establishment, he shall, subject to the provisions of this section, be entitled in respect of each such child to a deduction and such deduction, in the case of a child shown by the claimant to have been over the age of eleven years at the commencement of the year of assessment, shall be of the amount of £150 and, in any other case, shall be of the amount of £120.

The expression “child” in this provision includes a stepchild and an illegitimate child whose parents have married each other after his birth and a child in respect of whom an adoption order under the Adoption Act, 1952 , is in force.

(2) If the claimant proves that for the year of assessment he has the custody of and maintains at his own expense any child who is under the age of sixteen years, or who, if over the age of sixteen years at the commencement of that year, is receiving such full-time instruction as aforesaid, and that neither he nor any other individual is entitled to a deduction in respect of the same child under the foregoing provisions of this section or under any of the other provisions of this Part, or, if any other individual is entitled to such a deduction, that that other individual has relinquished his claim thereto, he shall be entitled in respect of the child to the same deduction as if the child were a child of his.

(3) The references in subsection (1) and (2) to a child receiving full-time instruction at an educational establishment shall include references to a child undergoing training by any person (hereafter in this subsection referred to as the employer) for any trade or profession in such circumstances that the child is required to devote the whole of his time to the training for a period of not less than two years.

For the purpose of a claim in respect of a child undergoing training the inspector may require the employer to furnish particulars with respect to the training of the child in such form as may be prescribed by the Revenue Commissioners.

(4) No deduction shall be allowed under this section in respect of any child who is entitled in his own right to an income exceeding £80 a year, except that if the amount of the excess is less than the deduction which apart from this subsection would be allowable, a deduction reduced by that amount shall be allowed.

Provided that in calculating the income of the child for the purposes of the foregoing provision no account shall be taken of any income to which the child is entitled as the holder of a scholarship, bursary, or other similar educational endowment.

(5) If any question arises as to whether any person is entitled to an allowance under this section in respect of a child who is over the age of sixteen years, as being a child who is receiving such full-time instruction as aforesaid, the Revenue Commissioners may consult the Minister for Education.

(6) Where, for any year of assessment, two or more individuals are or would, but for the provisions of this subsection, be entitled under this section to relief in respect of the same child, the following provisions shall have effect, that is to say:—

(a) only one deduction under this section shall be allowed in respect of such child;

(b) where such child is maintained by one parent only, that parent only shall be entitled to claim such deduction;

(c) where such child is maintained jointly by both parents, each parent shall be entitled to claim such part of such deduction as is proportionate to the amount expended by him or her on the maintenance of such child;

(d) in ascertaining for the purposes of this subsection whether a parent maintains a child and, if so, to what extent, any payment made by such parent for or towards the maintenance of such child which such parent is entitled to deduct in computing his or her total income for the purposes of this Act shall be deemed not to be a payment for or towards the maintenance of such child.