Sir, – Eugene Tannam and Neil Kelly (Letters, September 12th) take me to task for something I did not write.
In my letter of September 9th, I pointed to the fact (and it is a fact, not an opinion) that Ireland has a very progressive income tax system. I referred to the further facts that the fruit of this system is used to pay for public services, to support those among us who need help and to allow about 40 cent of Irish income earners not to pay income tax.
I did not argue that those on lower incomes should pay income tax.
My letter of September 9th responded to Eugene Tannam’s of September 8th in which he looked forward to a Sinn Féin-led government garnishing the income of the wealthy.
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I made what I thought was the reasonable point that many of the intended targets might choose not to stay around for the fun and games. Mark Mohan (Letters, September 12th) makes the same point.
Neil Kelly ends his letter by asking what type of society I want. Let me tell him.
I want a thriving economy to provide resources for the kind of society to which I suspect the vast majority of us aspire. I favour a progressive income tax system – where the better-off pay a higher proportion of their income in taxes. I support redistribution so that those of us who need support and a safety net can get it. I believe we should have well-paid public servants. And I believe that all of the above should entitle us to expect world-class public services.
Ireland ticks the box on four of the five. We need to understand as a matter of some urgency why, regardless of the level of resources committed, we continue to fall at the last fence. –
Yours, etc,
PAT O’BRIEN,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.