Sir, – Charles McLaughlin (May 24th) asks whether Mr Shatter will forego a tax refund on his charitable donation. As far as I am aware this tax break was abolished in 2013.
Ciaran Downes (May 24th) appears to be confused regarding benefit-in-kind rules. Mr Shatter’s employers did not make a charitable donation on his behalf. Even if they had done so, no benefit-in-kind would arise, as he would be foregoing the money he was entitled to, and no benefit would accrue. Is it now your policy to print any letters that arrive to your inbox without checking for inaccuracies, in order to pander to the baying mob? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’CALLAGHAN,
Goldenbridge Avenue,
Inchicore, Dublin 8.
Sir, – I find it extraordinary that Mr Shatter, having been instrumental in a Government decision to stop severance payments to Ministers, accepted his severance payment. The purpose of the Government decision was to save the State money in difficult financial times. The fact that it will be passed on to a deserving charity is irrelevant.
Equally extraordinary was Mr Shatter’s decision to announce his acceptance of the severance payment and its onward journey to the deserving charity in what can only be described as a fully-fledged press conference. He could easily have made his announcement in a low-key, one-line statement on Thursday morning or earlier. In reality, the whole thing was a publicity stunt and an insult to those who quietly donate their own (as compared to the State’s) hard-earned money. – Yours, etc,
DAVID McPHEARSON,
Craddockstown Road,
Naas, Co Kildare.