I remember back in the day (early 1970's) when I first started working in Ireland having returned from Bedfordshire to find a letter with a Harp on the envelope offering me future employment if I could pass a test in oral Irish. My Irish was better than the guy who tested me and so the job was mine, but had to wait several months. I wasn't used to paying much income tax having worked "on the lump" in the UK and when I received my first week's wages I was appalled at the large amount of tax I was paying.
Around then the government offered tax breaks to "artists." The general belief was that these would be attracted to Ireland, buy up property and pay Irish staff for gardening, maintenance, upkeep, etc. They came, they bought, they lived it up, but employed nobody and were financially better off than living elsewhere. They bought castles, estates, good quality housing and reaped the benefit of what was on offer. Who would blame them?
Now, you probably are thinking how is an almost non tax paying Leper from working in the UK complaining about tax exemptions for "artists." I'm not complaining, of course, but the system allows these artists to live comfortably and tax exempt here. And who would blame them? To be fair they advertise Ireland in a good light while abroad which attracts tourists to this cold and wet island.
But, now we have a new kind of "artist" - the politician, sportsman, television celebrity etc who publishes a ghost-written book with nothing else in mind other than saving on a huge tax bill. They are getting away with it and nobody is going to shout Stop!
Around then the government offered tax breaks to "artists." The general belief was that these would be attracted to Ireland, buy up property and pay Irish staff for gardening, maintenance, upkeep, etc. They came, they bought, they lived it up, but employed nobody and were financially better off than living elsewhere. They bought castles, estates, good quality housing and reaped the benefit of what was on offer. Who would blame them?
Now, you probably are thinking how is an almost non tax paying Leper from working in the UK complaining about tax exemptions for "artists." I'm not complaining, of course, but the system allows these artists to live comfortably and tax exempt here. And who would blame them? To be fair they advertise Ireland in a good light while abroad which attracts tourists to this cold and wet island.
But, now we have a new kind of "artist" - the politician, sportsman, television celebrity etc who publishes a ghost-written book with nothing else in mind other than saving on a huge tax bill. They are getting away with it and nobody is going to shout Stop!