Sir, – As if it were not bad enough for the taxpayer in the Republic to have to fund some TDs who rarely get up early in the morning, we’re now expected to finance the work of those in Northern Ireland who have collected salaries for not working at all for the past three years. – Yours, etc,
RITA O’BRIEN,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – It is wonderful that we finally have agreement between Sinn Féin and the DUP. It is a pity that the agreement is only that they should be given more money by the British and Irish governments. – Yours, etc,
T O’SULLIVAN,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – The real problem with Leo Varadkar’s slogan about “looking after those who get up early in the morning” is that he, like many other high earners living in their own bubble, think that they are the only people who do so.
Some 50 per cent of the working population, like those who serve your coffee on the way to work, also get up early in the morning and who wait on you in the bars and restaurants late at night, who also work very hard, don’t earn anywhere near enough to derive any benefit from his stated policy of widening the 20 per cent tax band at its upper end.
It is certainly of benefit, but not to enough people.
If high earners are experiencing difficulties with the cost of living, accommodation, childcare, healthcare, etc, imagine what it is like for low earners.
Any income-tax changes should benefit low earners in simple cash terms at least as much as high earners.
Of more benefit might be to create more tax bands both between the current 20 per cent and 40 per cent and also, if needed, at rates above 40 per cent for extremely high earners.
In this time of computerisation, it shouldn’t be a difficult task.
Leo Varadkar talks about making work pay.
Low earners work just as hard as high-earners, rise just as early and both deserve and need a tax reduction, probably more than very high earners, to cope with the extreme high cost of living in our country. – Yours, etc,
DAVID DORAN,
Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.
Sir, – “The early bird catches the worm” is fine for the bird but what did early rising do for the worm? – Yours, etc,
JOHN
MacINERNEY,
Swords,
Co Dublin.