Invitation to Make a Submission to Public Consultation on Review of EIIS and SURE

Mr. Paschal Donohoe T.D., Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, has appointed Indecon international economic consultants to undertake a review of the Employment and Investment Incentive (EII) and the Start-Up Refunds for Entrepreneurs (SURE) scheme. The purpose of the review is to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the EII and SURE incentives and to inform government policy in this area. In summary, the terms of reference for the review include:

• To what extent do the objectives of the EII and SURE remain valid?
• What significant changes have taken place in the operating environment of the incentives since the previous review in 2014, and what are the implications of these developments for the ongoing validity of the objectives of both schemes?
• To what extent are these objectives being met?
• Are the schemes addressing the ‘market failures’ that they were introduced to address and are there any market failures that are not being addressed fully?
• Examination of cost-effectiveness of schemes:
• Are the schemes cost-effective in terms of economic benefits they deliver relative to their exchequer costs in terms of tax revenues foregone?
• Examination of alternative options which may exist for the provision of state support:
• Is it appropriate to continue to address, in whole or in part, the identified market failures through the tax system, and are there other ways in which these market failures could be addressed by the State, taking into account State Aid constraints?
• What are the effects/implications of the EU General Block Exemption Regulations (GBER) for State Aid on the EII and SURE incentives?
• How do the EII and SURE incentives compare with similar incentives in other EU Member States?
• Do the incentives, as currently designed, provide a platform for the effective operation of the reliefs?
• Are there ways in which the design of the incentives could be enhanced?

Interested persons are invited to make submissions addressing some or all of the above points by email to the Department of Finance at the contacts below. All submissions to be received by 5pm on Monday 28th May 2018.

Email: EIISURE2018@finance.gov.ie

or by post to:

EIISURE Review

C/O Patrick Brennan, Tax Policy Division

Department of Finance

Government Buildings

Upper Merrion Street

Dublin 2

When responding, please indicate whether you are contributing to the consultation process as an investor, a company that has/will use EII or SURE, a tax advisor, a financial advisor, a representative body, or a member of the public.

Freedom of Information

Responses to this consultation are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts. Parties should also note that responses to the consultation may be published on the website of the Department of Finance.