Figures for some tax schemes were made available to Labour's finance spokeswoman, Ms Joan Burton, by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, in his Dáil replies.

The estimated cost to the Exchequer of tax relief arising from multistorey car-parks was 2.5 million in the year 2001, he said.

A similar figure applied for 2000 and the figure for 1999 was €3.5 million.

Mr McCreevy said the estimates were "particularly tentative and subject to a considerable margin of error".

The scheme is now being abolished.

The cost of relief for "significant" buildings and gardens was €3.9 million in 1999/2000.

There was no estimate available for subsequent years.

The artists' exemption scheme cost the Exchequer an estimated €29.9 million in the year 1999/2000. Estimates for more recent years are not available.

Employee profit-sharing schemes cost the Exchequer an estimated 31 million in the year 2000/2001.

The estimated cost to the Exchequer of the Business Expansion Scheme was 20.7 million in 2002.

Tax relief for the film industry was 21.5 million in the same year, according to the Minister for Finance.