A chara, – Suzanne Lynch's hard-hitting critique of Ireland's corporate tax policy and of the Irish electorate's active tolerance thereof is to be unreservedly welcomed ("Ireland is complicit in raising global inequality", Opinion & Analysis, January 24th).
The scourge of tax havens such as Ireland makes itself felt both domestically and overseas in various political, ethical and economic dimensions. Potential recipient state treasuries are denied tax revenues essential for the social and economic prosperity of their respective jurisdictions; the so-called aggressive tax policy is fundamentally parasitical since it can succeed only if a considerable number of significant nations do not engage in the practice, thus undermining the economic and social solidarity among nations; relying on this form of tax planning overly exposes states to the exclusively self-interested whims of multinational corporations and hampers the innovative development of alternative economic policies by simply going for cheap immediate revenue at a horrendous long-term cost.
Incidentally, the equitability of a tax is determined not solely by its mode (its rate, whether direct or indirect, fixed or progressive, exemptions and allowances, etc) but that in combination with what is being taxed. Water? Now that’s a difference kettle of fish altogether. – Is mise,
JOHN FARRELL,
Frankfurt am Main,
Germany.