Finance Act, 1997

Tax deductions from payments made to subcontractors.

13.—(1) Section 17 of the Finance Act, 1970 , is hereby amended—

(a) by the substitution in subsection (1), with effect from the 6th day of October, 1997, of the following for paragraph (a) of the definition of “forestry operations” (inserted by the Finance Act, 1992 ):

“(a) the planting, thinning, lopping or felling of trees in woods, forests or other plantations;

(aa) the maintenance of woods, forests and plantations and the preparation of land, including woods or forests which have been harvested, for planting;”,

(b) by the substitution of the following for clause (C) of subsection (4)(C)(ii):

“(C) in respect of—

(I) employment contributions and self-employment contributions under the Social Welfare Acts,

(II) health contributions under the Health Contributions Act, 1979 , and

(III) Employment and Training Levy under the Youth Employment Agency Act, 1981 , as amended by the Labour Services Act, 1987 .”,

and

(c) by the insertion, as respects offences committed or penalties incurred on or after the passing of this Act, of the following after subsection (10):

“(10A) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other enactment, summary proceedings in respect of offences under this section may be instituted within 10 years of the commission of the offence.

(10B) The provisions of sections 128(4), 500(4), 501(3), 502(3), 506 and 507 of the Income Tax Act, 1967 , shall, with any necessary modifications, apply for the purposes of this section and any regulations made thereunder as they apply for the purposes of those provisions.”.

(2) Schedule 15 to the Income Tax Act, 1967 , is hereby amended, as respects acts or omissions occurring on or after the passing of this Act, by—

(a) the deletion in column 2 of “Regulations under section 17 of the Finance Act, 1970 ”,

(b) the insertion in columns 1 and 3 of “ Finance Act, 1970 , section 17 and Regulations made thereunder”, and

(c) the insertion in column 3 of “ Finance Act, 1970 , section 17A”.