KIDNEY DONORS ARE to get an income tax exemption on reimbursable expenses on three areas – loss of income, accommodation and travel costs.

The aim is to ensure that donors do not lose out financially when they donate a kidney, said the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar.

The Minister for Finance Michael Noonan announced the tax relief measure today in the Finance Bill.

Reimburse expenses

Minister Varadkar said he will shortly launch a new policy to reimburse the expenses of living kidney donors, which he said will acknowledge the vital contribution of living kidney donors and minimise any financial hardship incurred by them.

Under this new policy, the reimbursement process will be managed by the HSE and will set out procedures, rates and upper limits for each reimbursable item, including procedures in relation to the reimbursement of loss of earnings for employed and self-employed donors.

Varadkar added:

Anyone donating a kidney must take a certain amount of time off work in order to recover. This can have an impact on their ability earn a living. This new measure from Minister Noonan will make sure that living kidney donors see the full benefit of a generous range of financial supports which I will be announcing in the near future.

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