Sir, – Carl O'Brien's analysis piece ("How unequal is Ireland") should be compulsory reading for all with an interest in how our society is faring.
How refreshing to read an economic analysis of the ever-widening inequality in our country which contains the following: “There are deliberate, man-made reasons why this is happening. The top 1 per cent via lobbyists or complex tax arrangements . . . actively work to stop redistribution.”
Let’s hope, this time, that our politicians not only sit up and take notice, but have the courage to accordingly. – Yours, etc, HARRY McCAULEY Maynooth, Co Kildare.
Sir, – The Tasc report ("How unequal is Ireland") on economic inequality in Ireland shows Ireland as head of an inauspicious table – the most unequal of all OECD countries in terms of income distribution.
The report also points to the important role of tax revenue in ameliorating the worst of this inequality through the funding of public services, education, and social welfare.
However, as the recent SwissLeaks and LuxLeaks documents show, tax avoidance through the use of legal loopholes is thriving and depriving governments around the world, including Ireland, of billions that could help combat poverty and drive inclusive economic growth.
Oxfam's report Wealth: Having it all and wanting more evidenced clearly how global wealth is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a small wealthy elite. Oxfam is calling on Irish and our European leaders to bring more transparency to tax matters.
European governments should implement automatic information exchange between tax authorities as soon as possible to close off loopholes.
We also need to set up public registries of the real owners of so-called “shell” companies – governments will have the chance to do so when they give force to the EU’s anti-money laundering directive.
Another part of the solution is to adopt public country-by-country reporting so we know where companies work and where they really pay their taxes.
The consequences of income inequality can be devastating and far-reaching at an individual and a national level, driving corruption, poverty and slowing down economies. It should not be treated as an inevitable by-product of an economic recovery. We must examine how legislation, or lack off, facilitates a system that drives poverty and increases inequality because we have a choice – there is an alternative. – Yours, etc, JIM CLARKEN Chief Executive, Oxfam Ireland, Ringsend, Dublin 4.