Workers Solidarity Movement

In spite of a long and consistent campaign which has been waged against people in relation to the imposition of this unjust and unfair tax on homes, over 650,000 households have not registered with revenue [22.05.2013].  Draconian legislation and the threats of fines has not resulted in people volunteering their information to the revenue.

The government has railroaded this tax into the system to further make the ordinary people pay for an economic crisis that was not of their making.   There is absolute injustice at the centre of this property tax, coming back to people who’ve been hammered for the last five years with the insane policies of austerity.  Unemployment is ‘stable’ at 14%, emigration is the only option for many of our young people, and those fortunate enough to have a job are taking home less and less pay from it.

People are being bullied and pushed around by this government, and this was evidenced by the powers that have been handed over to revenue in terms of collecting the property tax.

What has become evident is that there is no Plan B for this government.  They continue to go after the same people whilst the rich, the big bankers, the developers, and the architects of this most spectacular collapse walk around freely arranging games of golf.   To add insult to injury we have John Bruton (former Taoiseach) telling the Irish public to “tighten our belts and put up with austerity.”  So it is easy to keep the Fine Gael party line when you enjoy a pension of €140,000 and work as a lobbyist for the Irish Financial Services Centre (which I am sure he is not doing on a voluntary basis.)

The concept of even getting companies to pay their tax at a low rate of 12.5% appears to be an alien one to this government.  The average amount paid is closed to 6% and indeed it appears we can go even lower if that is what the big companies wish for

Here are three household names all paying tax at less than 1%. 

• Apple Tax at a rate of 0.05%.
• Google Ireland Limited, 0.025%
• Facebook Ireland, 0.03%

But make no mistake; this is not about justice this is political decision to make society pay for their losses.  Over half a million households know this and have stood strong.  We need to remain strong and build for the battles to come.