[Article] Government urged to cut VAT on condoms

scojones · 08-03-2006 3:16pm #1

he Government was today urged to follow the lead of the British authorities and cut VAT on condoms.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said the expected move by the UK means condoms sold in Northern Ireland will soon become significantly cheaper than those on sale south of the border.

The high cost of condoms in the Republic puts them beyond the reach of many students and young people - the category most as risk from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), it said.

USI president Tony McDonnell said the Government applies the full rate of 21 per cent Vat to any purchase it considers a 'luxury', the category in which it classifies condoms.

"The UK government used to share this preposterous view, but is now preparing to reclassify condoms as 'essential' items and apply the lowest rate of Vat to them," he said.

"If the Irish Government applied the same logic as the UK, the Vat on condoms sold in the South would fall from 21 per cent to 5 per cent, bringing the price of condoms down dramatically and making them more accessible to those who need them most."

Mr McDonnell said the USI has been pressing the logic of reducing tax on condoms for years and welcomed that they should soon be substantially more affordable for students in the North.

About bloody time, they're well expensive especially in pubs and niteclubs. 4 euro for 2 condoms? Bit of a farce if you ask me. Alot cheaper than having to fork out the dosh nine months later though.

Blisterman · 08-03-2006 3:19pm

You can buy condoms for cheap if you buy them in bulk over the internet.
Whether you'll use them or not is a different question.

Tar.Aldarion · 08-03-2006 3:21pm

Buying them over the net...really? do you?
How much is 'bulk'

Blisterman · 08-03-2006 3:27pm

well for about 36+.

Lux23 · 08-03-2006 3:36pm

I didn't realise there was vat on condoms. I would have thought they would come under the essentials list like tampons.

flanzer · 08-03-2006 3:42pm

If the church still influences the government (which I still think they do), there'll be no chance of Condoms being VAT exempt in this country anywhere in the near future!

Mossy Monk · 08-03-2006 4:42pm

makes sense to remove the VAT with the helping protect people and all that

mawk · 08-03-2006 4:44pm

Lux23 wrote:

I didn't realise there was vat on condoms. I would have thought they would come under the essentials list like tampons.

while i may be wrong here but im pretty sure tampons are taxed as luxury goods. which im sure most people would disagree with but thats what accounts for most of their cost

joe_chicken · 08-03-2006 4:59pm

flanzer wrote:

If the church still influences the government (which I still think they do), there'll be no chance of Condoms being VAT exempt in this country anywhere in the near future!

And that's why they wouldnt bother spending millions on a contraception ad campaign....

o wait..............

The_Minister · 08-03-2006 5:39pm

The PDs want to get rid of the VAT on condoms

Nuttzz · 08-03-2006 5:48pm

sjones wrote:

About bloody time, they're well expensive especially in pubs and niteclubs. 4 euro for 2 condoms? Bit of a farce if you ask me. Alot cheaper than having to fork out the dosh nine months later though.

you think that the vending machine people will reduce their prices because the vat is reduced? hardly they leave them at 4/5 euro and pocket the vat reduction

Sleepy · 08-03-2006 5:55pm

I think Nuttzz is on the money here. The price in vending machines will not come down if there's a VAT reducation (I'd personally wonder how many of those vendors actually pay VAT tbh). While this would reduce the price of contraception in chemists / supermarkets etc I don't think it would have any real effect other than to give the right wing nutters the ability to claim that cheaper contraception didn't have any effect on STD/Teen Pregnancy rates.

Free/Heavily subsidised contraception of all kinds from Family Planning Centres and GP's combined with an education drive would be the best way to tackle these problems but don't to see that any time soon. The government are too busy pissing your money away granting over-the-odds construction jobs to their friends...