Sir, – Would it be too much to ask for a polite “thank you” from the Revenue Commissioners to each taxpayer in the country who played their part in contributing to the State’s finances last year? While we know that our taxes go into one large coffer, it would be nice to hear from the Revenue Commissioners what our own individual contribution may have contributed to, such as how many hours of pay for an emergency department nurse, or the cost of supplying new computers to a particular national school. I am sure there are plenty of examples of “feel-good” public expenditure that could assure us that our contribution is not only well spent, but deeply appreciated. If our honest contributions were politely acknowledged, and we were thanked for doing our civic duty, our general attitude to tax evasion and tax evaders might change over time. – Yours, etc,
FEARGHAL O’BOYLE,
Burnfoot,
Co Donegal.