Sir, – Recent international events have increased fuel prices and highlighted for many Irish people the extent to which the State profits from fuel through taxation.
Since 2010 Irish governments have introduced carbon tax, property tax and the (temporary) USC, and the main VAT rate has increased from 21 per cent to 23 per cent. On top of this the State has received huge windfall corporation tax sums, largely from a small number of US multinationals.
Long-suffering Irish taxpayers are entitled to ask what exactly they have got in return for shouldering this additional taxation? Have health service improved over this time? Have public transport and infrastructure improved?
Is Dublin city centre safer? Are there additional gardaí on the streets of our capital keeping taxpayers safe? Has additional housing been provided for the children of taxpayers to buy at a reasonable price?
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It’s hard to see where exactly all this additional taxation has improved the lives of Irish taxpayers to the extent of the additional taxation they provided.
Ireland has had a taxation commission for a number of years. It invariably recommends increased taxation. Sadly, State spending appears to be subject to far less scrutiny.
The time has come for a spending commission to be set up to regularly forensically review State spending and value for money. This spending commission should be diverse and include representatives from PAYE workers and the self-employed rather than just the customary representatives from academia, State departments and NGOs. – Yours, etc,
Ruary Martin,
Sandyford,
Dublin.
Sir, – I am at a loss to understand the Government’s silent acceptance of the EU declaration that reduction of excise duty on fuel must be temporary and have a definite end date. Did not the same conditions apply to USC when it was introduced fadó fadó, as a “temporary” measure?
No end in sight for that, methinks! – Yours, etc,
Máire Ni Chonchubhair,
Boyle,
Co Roscommon.
