Madam, – Among the taxation proposals being mooted by government for the next and subsequent budgets is an extension of tax to the lower paid. This is to be accompanied by continued draconian reductions in the provision of health, education and other services required by the population generally and particularly by the poor. Government cuts and impositions on the poor and those on middle incomes who spend most of their income in Ireland will flatten the economy and increase the disastrous levels of unemployment and emigration.
Much of the €90 billion irresponsibly borrowed abroad by Irish banks since 2003 is still in the possession of the super-rich.
The borrowings which have bankrupt many developers have been paid to others.
The repayments on these borrowings are now being made by the citizens generally. Surely this money must be restored to the State as a priority?
The only way to recover this money is through an assets tax which is common in several countries (France, Norway, Switzerland) and in several states in the US.
If the €320 billion in assets (Wealth of the Nation Report, 2007) held by the top 5 per cent in 2007 has now shrunk to €250 billion, a 2 per cent annual assets tax on the top 5 per cent of asset holders would bring in €5 billion per year.
Raising the tax on the top 6 per cent who earn over €100,000 per annum from 27 per cent to 32 per cent of total salary, would raise a further €1.5 billion per year.
A significant increase in income taxes and assets taxes on the rich is no longer merely desirable in equity, it is a necessity in order to rescue the economy and to protect human services provision.
There is a real economic emergency. Surely the super-rich should make an emergency contribution? How about a little patriotism from them? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Where has the money gone? It didn’t simply disappear down a hole with Alice and the Rabbit. Most of the bad loans that were made to developers was paid to property owners who made a killing during the boom years preceding the crash. Yes, the country faces some tough years and difficult decisions, but before looking at welfare cuts and growth restricting tax hikes on the middle classes, why not impose a windfall tax on those who made a killing on selling land to developers during the boom years? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – May I make a somewhat radical proposal and ask whether the Government should consider introducing a “fat tax” in the upcoming budget? The Government repeatedly cites the strain on the health system as a reason for increases in excise duty on tobacco and alcohol. Yet obesity and the problems that ensue from it, heart failure, high cholesterol, etc, have just as much impact on health.
We all know that there are fast- food products on the market that are fattening and unhealthy. There are also products on our shelves which contain addictive sugars and salts which are unhealthy. If we put a higher level of taxation on these products we could promote a healthier society and avoid some of the proposed cuts to our health system, which it is paramount that we maintain.
Why it is socially acceptable to vilify one demographic of the population for their bad habits and yet not another? This, I believe to be undemocratic – and it defies logic. We can promote a healthier Ireland by increasing taxes on junk foods. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – The Government now wants to tax child benefit (sometimes the only means of income for women in the family). Instead of doing this, the Government should increase the tax on the higher income of those who receive these benefits. – Is mise,