(1) The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following after section 79:

"79A.

(1)

(a) In this section -

'foreign currency asset', in relation to a company, means an asset, not being a relevant monetary item (within the meaning of section 79), of the company the consideration for the acquisition of which consisted solely of an amount denominated in a currency other than the currency of the State;

'foreign currency liability', in relation to a company, means -

(i) a liability, not being a relevant monetary item (within the meaning of section 79), or

(ii) a sum subscribed for paid-up share capital or contributed to the capital,

of the company which is denominated in a currency other than the currency of the State;

'rate of exchange' has the meaning assigned to it by section 79.

(b) For the purposes of this section -

(i) a foreign currency asset is a relevant foreign currency asset in relation to a company if it consists of shares in another company acquired by the company and immediately after the acquisition by the company of the shares in the other company -

(I) the company owns not less than 25 per cent of the share capital of the other company, and