The Debt and Development Coalition (DDCI), whose members include Concern, Trocaire, Oxfam and a string of Catholic missionary orders, yesterday attacked the band’s use of a tax base in the Netherlands.
The DDCI confronted Finance Minister Brian Lenihan outside his offices yesterday and told him U2 was depriving the State of revenue needed for social services and aid to foreign countries.
One wonders how gullible the DDCI are – do they really think that the bank-bailout-happy Irish government will magically ringfence taxation from U2?
I was curious about this “tax justice” group protesting – then all became clear via their website
quote:
Over 70 organisations are now members of DDCI. The Coalition is funded through membership subscriptions with match funding provided by the European Union
Ah. Right so. A “protest” group funded by the EU – an organisation that has been making strong hints at tax “harmonisation” recently.
What a coincidence.
Does that excuse U2’s tax wheeze then?
Should we all give it a go?
U2 are doing nothing illegal.
And also bear in mind that Ireland’s entire inward investment strategy is to a large degree based on our favourable taxation regime, especially in the area of intellectual property.
If the DDCI’s ideas ever came to fruition, what would attract American corporates to Ireland?
DDCI are saying what no one else is daring to say…tax dodging is hurting the poor.
It’s got nothing to do with tax harmonisation and the EU. It’s about individuals and companies legally and illegally ‘stealing’ tax revenue from where it is due.
And on the point of Ireland and it’s taxation regime – the whole idea of tax competition is a short term, short sighted strategy. Which is now falling apart in Ireland. As soon as a country becomes good at tax competition, the costs go up and the companies move away.
See Dell shifting 3000 jobs from Limerick to Poland for details.
Dell are shifting jobs from Ireland to Poland because of wage rates, and not taxes.
Secondly , your statement that “tax dodging is hurting the poor” assumes that government is the ONLY body that can donate to worthy causes.
In my view, that is a very one sided view of things – for all i know Bono might be shovelling hundreds of millions of HIS OWN CASH to the third world.
Meanwhile, our governments are shovelling billions to banks.
and can someone please ask the DDCI this question – despite BILLIONS being given to africa over 50 years , what the hell has happened to the money?
does there not come a point where we say “stop – no more aid until you sort yourself out?”
its getting to the stage where i’m half thinking that these aid charities are part of the problem, and not the solution.
the kenyan finance minister, for one, would agree.