Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has claimed Irish people now earning high salaries abroad are prepared to return home and pay more taxes as a part of a "patriotic effort" to improve Ireland.
Under the SF general election tax plan, PAYE earners receiving more than €100,000-a-year will pay 59 per cent on everything they earn over that figure.
However, responding to criticism that the move will result in an exodus of highly qualified people and make it impossible for others who have left to return home, Mr Adams said this is not true.
Denying it will cause “a brain drain”, Adams says he has met such Irish people in America who would be willing to pay higher taxes after moving home to Ireland.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny says Fine Gael’s promise to abolish the USC will help to bring 70,000 emigrants back to ireland by 2020, because tax is one of the main barriers deterring them from moving home.
Are you a high earning emigrant, as deemed by these figures? Would you be prepared to come home under an SF-led or SF-influenced government that followed these policies? Does Irish tax policy have any influence on your decision to stay abroad or move home?
Have your say in the comments section below, or email your thoughts to emigration@irishtimes.com. Thank you.
