666. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos 338 and 339 of 23 July 2024, the estimate of the annual revenue forgone as a result of share buybacks not being affected by means of a stock transfer form in 2024. [54824/26]

667. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question Nos 338 and 339 of 23 July 2024, for an estimate of the annual revenue forgone as a result of share buybacks not being affected by means of a stock transfer form in 2025. [54825/26]

668. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance for an estimate of the annual revenue foregone as a result of share buybacks not being affected by means of a stock transfer form solely as a result of banks buying back shares previously held by the State since 2022. [54826/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 666 to 668, inclusive, together.

I am advised by Revenue that there are different ways in which a company can buy back its shares.

For shares held in certificated (i.e., paper) form, the shares may be bought back in two separate ways. The first, by means of a standard stock transfer form. The second is where the shareholder and the company enter into a contract or share purchase agreement for the sale of the shares, following which the shareholder hands over the share certificates to the company.

For shares held in uncertificated/dematerialised (i.e., electronic form), the shares may be bought back via an electronic settlement system. Euroclear Bank operates the settlement system for trading in Irish shares on Euronext Dublin.

In the context of the varying methods of share buyback, I am advised that Revenue does not have comprehensive data on share buybacks whether effected by means of a stock transfer form or otherwise.  There is no statutory requirement in place for such data to be provided to Revenue by way of a Stamp Duty return.  As details of share buybacks are not separately reported on tax returns, there is no data on which to base an accurate estimate. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the information sought by the Deputy.

I would also note that the estimates provided in the combined response to Parliamentary Question Nos. 338 and 339 of 23 July 2024 were primarily based on an assessment of publicly available information. As was outlined to the Deputy in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 73 of 9 October 2024, it is not possible to ascertain  if such information fully reflects all buyback transactions, therefore this information is no longer used by the Department as a basis to estimate the volume of share buyback transactions.

Finally, it should be noted that estimates in respect of changes to the rate of Stamp Duty applied to shares more generally are included on page 19 of Revenue's "Ready Reckoner – Post Budget 2026" publication available on the Revenue website at: www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/information-about-revenue/statistics/ready-reckoner/index.aspx.