Sir, - As an Irish emigrant, I am compelled to address the issue raised by the article "Labour shortage threatens economic boom" (May 14th). I personally have never experienced difficulty in finding employment in Ireland. The reason I choose to live outside Ireland is the crippling taxation on single, non-home-owning, PAYE workers, and the ridiculous taxes and duties thrown on all sorts of life's necessities and luxuries.
Not only are we in the US allowed to keep the vast bulk of the money we work hard to earn, we are not punished for smoking, drinking a beer, or driving a car. I realise that Ireland needs to raise a lot of revenue to pay for its social policies etc., but why is it always the "man in the street" who always has to work half his hours to pay for them?
Until Ireland produces a fairer system of taxation, I'm afraid I'll be staying here, and I'm wondering how many others living here, Australia and elsewhere are contributing to your labour shortage for the same reason. - Yours, etc., Victor Ginesi
Denver, Colorado, USA