Dear Friend……. September 7, 2016
Posted by irishelectionliterature in Irish Politics.trackback
Dear Friend,
All day today, the Dáil debated the decision of the Government to appeal the ruling of the European Commission in the Apple tax case.
As part of the debate, the Labour Party submitted an amendment that included four simple requests.
Firstly, we wanted to insist that Ireland remain centrally involved in the OECD process that is working to build tax transparency across the world.
Secondly, we were calling for the end of remaining loopholes that are exploited to minimise the taxes that companies including vulture funds are paying. The Government acknowledged the value of this proposal and moved last night to amend the section of the taxes act that creates this loophole.
Thirdly, we were asking members of the Dáil to agree to the principle of every profitable company paying a minimum effective rate of tax on their net taxable profits. As Brendan Howlin said during the debate “we cannot expect families to pay their fair share of tax if companies don’t.”
Finally, as I have argued for many years, we were seeking the establishment of a standing commission on taxation, so that as loopholes arise in the future, they can be closed off quickly.
Today, we did what we have consistently done since the last election – we advanced sensible, progressive ideas. But as we have seen on many occasions since the election, the Government and many of the opposition parties are more concerned with populist rhetoric than progressive proposals, and so they voted against our amendment.
We didn’t win today, but we’re not done trying. In advance of the Budget, we will be continuing to propose these ideas – I hope you will speak to your friends and family, or use social media, to tell people you know that you stand by the idea of tax justice that the Labour Party was pushing today.
Thanks for your continuing support,
Joan
Worthy stuff from Labour but you really have to ask why they didn’t pursue any of these with any rigor while they were in government….. and that’s one of their problems for the foreseeable future.
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
What’s worthy about supporting the government and FF in appealing?
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Isn’t IEL’s point that all those ‘worthy’ amendments weren’t acted upon during the last government when they had the chance, not that the LPs support for the amendment is a good thing.
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Exactly, they did nothing when they had the chance, so anything they say and do now is to be taken with a pinch of salt.
I was amused last week when pointing out to some Labour supporter that Labour were part of the Government that brought in the 8th, yet didn’t give us a referendum on it when in Government with their biggest ever mandate.
It’s been mentioned before but seeing Labour stand with Clerys workers is something that sticks in my craw a bit.
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Any pics of Brendan, Joan et al on the picket line yesterday with the Dublin Bus workers? I doubt it. Labour are beyond farcical. My local Labour Senator, Ged Nash, is firing out press releases to beat the band about his love for the low paid worker and workers generally. A man who voted for JobBridge, FEMPI etc. They’ll struggle to get beyond 6 TDs from now on and are finished as anything but a fringe parliamentary force. The 2011-16 government will take generations to live down and there is more brown stuff to hit the fan with Brexit, the consequences of the Apple decision and, who knows, another Eurozone crisis.
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Beyond satire, so they are.
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