Ireland the land of taxes and endless "fees"

fliball123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919081#Comment_119919081

So what? We paid over 90billion in taxes this year every phucking road in the country could of been ripped up and resurfaced and we still should of had more than enough to cover spend in the country to keep the sh1t public services we have gotten used to afloat. All over the world they don't pay such a high rate of tax at such a low level why are you not arguing for that?

sameoldname

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919478#Comment_119919478

Plastic bag levy? Seriously, if you can't avoid that particular "tax" it makes me wonder what other taxes are you paying needlessly? Maybe you should talk to a financial advisor?

fliball123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919522#Comment_119919522

Have you used the bags your lucky to get a couple of weeks out of them and its a stealth charge that brings in millions a year for our gobsh1t overlords who p1ss it away and I like how you picked the small one out of the myriad of costs I put up. Good job you must be working in the dept of Finance with your biased selectivity.

Tippman24

I had a belief at one point that not paying tax was morally wrong but changed my mind. A few years ago a punter in the parish, who had never worked a day in his life, held a party to celebrate his going from the Dole to the Pension. He thought nothing wrong with doing it. I have worked since for 40 years and had taxes deducted via PAYE. This tax is supposed to cover my health requirements, but why do I consider it necessary to pay VHI also (€2700 for 2023). I have got my local property tax demand for 2023, but I have to pay my own bin charges. Next month my car tax for 2023 arrives. I have money saved in the Credit Union and got annual report advising that no dividend will be made this year, as he Banks are charging them money for having funds with them. The Bank of Ireland introduced an account maintenance fee to screw the customers who have money with them.

in last couple of years I had tradesmen in doing work for me. when they gave me price for the jobs they advised of the cash option. I took it on the three ocassions. I said to myself that it was better to keep the cash rather thn give it to Government so the Greens could buy a few more bikes.

sameoldname

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919537#Comment_119919537

Do yourself a favour and head over to your nearest Aldi and buy one of these: https://groceries.aldi.ie/en-GB/ALDIIE/p-dura-bag-136g-aldi/4088600442556

You could fill it with concrete blocks and it wouldn't break. If you want to keep giving the government money that you could easily avoid that's on you.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919478#Comment_119919478

Look no one is arguing we are a low tax country. I think the opposite is true when you include all taxation, not just income tax. As you rightly point out we have to pay again for stuff that is included in the general taxation take in other countries like refuse. However we don't pay for water, and other stuff like plastic bag levy is optional It's there to change behavior. I never pay it as I have my own bags. VAT and Carbon tax on fuel, the whole EU does that, have you tried buying fuel in Germany or holland recently? Not to mention in the nordics.

Our total gross household income is approaching 150k and we have to budget. We shop in aldi and lidl, with one shop in iceland every month or two. I installed solar PV and have a lot of electric heating so we get away with 1 or 2 max tanks of oil a year. most normal people don't pay CGT, CAT etc, and only pay VRT every now and again. We bought a new car in september and only paid 7% VRT as we chose an electric car. Health/Home/Life insurance are pretty normal in most countries.

So that really leaves us with what, GP and healthcare bills, and refuse charges that should be paid for from the general tax take - but we get free water that most people have to pay for (I have a well so am neutral on the irish water issue).

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918721#Comment_119918721

yes serious housing problems are becoming more common, but again, you can be damn sure, it was one of the reasons why intel didnt chose here, id imagine another reason was, germany has far superior public services....

Juran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918978#Comment_119918978

Could not agree with you more. I always said I 100% agree with our welfare system for people who lose their jobs, until they find another job within a specific period, for our sick and disabled, for our carers, for our pensioners who's pension income is below €xx. But the majority of people I know who on JSA or single mother benefits and have their rent paid or house provided & all benefits that go with it, have never contributed, have no intention of working, are fit and healthy and are able to work - and they continue to live this state financially supported lifestyle for years, sometimes until they reach pension age! I would rather see the government investing in a new system to weed these out and use our scial welfare for those who need it, and also for every working person who are contributing in the form of paying tax or being carers, examples being medical cards, childcare & college fees covered for all workers .. fair and square. Like they do in France, Germany, Denmark, etc..

fliball123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919899#Comment_119919899

We do pay for water it comes out of general taxation, our waste collection services used to be paid for via general taxation that is where the money comes out of. What exactly are we getting for our money if we are getting water for free? As I said 90 Billion we took in through taxes this year how much more does this small country need to run its public services?? The amount of waste going on is criminal and there should be no extra taxes or tolls or other charges until this has been gone through.

maninasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119916249#Comment_119916249

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119913978#Comment_119913978

I have paid 9% income tax on a very good salary and 5% sales tax for years, 0% capital gains and 2% for my universal health insurance for which I get a medical card and awesome health service. 3% labour insurance premium. Key - none European country. High VAT rates just ramp up cost of living and who benefits ?

Almost everything from tolls to renting to insurance to pharma drugs to vehicles to public transport to hotels are far cheaper. The only thing more expensive are groceries, fresh meat and milk. Even Irish whiskey is 30% cheaper lol.

Yet there is very little poverty here compared to much of Europe. Partly its related to strict immigration controls. PARTLY work ethic . Partly conservative government spending. NOT much dole here. Lots of folks doing small businesses instead.

Interestingly lots of subsidised housing available for lower income workers and those who can't work with same rights to apply. Lack of immigration and refugees means low pressure on housing and rental prices.

A LOT OF IT IS MINDSET. Anytime the government wants to increase fees or taxes there is uproar, and the oil company and electricity and water companies are state owned and runs at bare bones margins, still almost no problems at all. Carbon taxes....minimal.

Don't get nickel and dimed to death like in Ireland , land of over regulation through taxes and fees .

Saw the crazy 10% toll fee increase cos of inflation in Ireland. Max allowable and they even rounded up! YET ANY toll increase just increases inflation. No newspaper mentioned this fact. Saw the ESB 67% increase for electric car charging. Sickening.

33% capital gains tax is insane and so very stupid. It's why so many just invest in houses with so many bad side effects.

Kids activities atrociously high priced in Ireland, I noticed they have parents over a barrel there. Business people.are quite greedy. Pay a significant entry fee to an event then pay loads more for each activity inside.

I bank savings without even sweating every month. Makes it very very hard to move back to Ireland.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058273068/ireland-the-land-of-taxes-and-endless-fees

Compare Ireland to New Zealand, also a small island with a population of around 5mil, but be prepared to cry or get angry.

If you want to know the secret, it's that they don't pay their civil service the best wages and pension on the planet, or have so many of them.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920518#Comment_119920518

We pay general taxation - same as others - but don't pay water that others do too. IE in other countries you pay similar levels of income tax and also have to pay for water.

Also, we don't take in anything like 90 billion. It used to be usually around 50-55bn and rose to 68.4bn last year. Of that 20bn rising to 25bn is used to fund DSP payments - and almost half of that 20-25bn goes to fund pensions.

Finally, there are no extra taxes being brought in. Did you miss where income tax was reduced in the last budget, as well as a giveaway budget to anyone on welfare? And these silly 200 euro payments to electricity supply companies?

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920903#Comment_119920903

increase in welfare payments makes sense, as most, if not all of that money will be spent straight back into the economy, maintaining businesses, this also clearly protects those on the lower socioeconomic scale, we are very likely looking at a high level of business failures next year, so these increases will increase the velocity of the money supply, thus reducing these risks....

fliball123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920903#Comment_119920903

How does our return on investment with regards to public services and infrastructure stack up with these other countries that your using as a measuring stick? We took in 93 billion in taxes last year. We wont know what was taken in for 2022 until the year is finished. Sorry to burst your bubble but that is a lot of cash that they waste not to mention the 240Billion they have borrowed over the last decade or so. Our water services was always financed from general taxation so we do pay for it, they don't just pluck money from the magic money tree out the back. As I said 93 billion last year, surely people have paid more than enough for a decent water service and in a lot of country like where I am you cannot drink from the tap as your likely to be sick. Some fecking service and you want more money for it. No thanks.

Remember if we had let Irish water come through it would of been privatized and prices pushed through the roof, as can be seen with electricity, national lottery, waste removal services and our toll bridges. We need more infrastructure kept in the hands of the state or owned by the tax payer and working for the tax payer and not put into the hands of people who's main motive is profit.

https://businessplus.ie/economy/state-e93-3bn-taxes/

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2022/1123/1337817-ireland-tax-statistics/

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920903#Comment_119920903

In the last budget social welfare got a higher % "raise" than paye workers. Those €200 payments for electricity, don't act like they are doing you a favor, they are just subsidizing the profits of the private energy sector. It's far from a give away budget, we are all poorer this year due to inflation no matter your income.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920932#Comment_119920932

Ok, I was referring to the journal article. However that seems incorrect and according to the CSO the official number taken is indeed 93billion.

The same points remain though. Ireland is not a high income tax country. It's not low, other examples point to the US being lower in tax than us which it is. You're not bursting my bubble, don't know where that has come from. I don't have a view on this that needs to be burst. I'm happy that taxes are finally coming down this year. I take issue with the money being wasted on dole wasters, but see that most of the DSP budget goes to pensions (and covid payments for the last couple of years).

Water was just one of the examples where we don't pay again for water but other similarly taxed countries do. Look at the UK, nordic countries, germany etc. Similar levels of income tax but separate water bill. UK has higher property tax (council tax) than we do. The US where income tax is a lot lower than us have higher property tax. A relative of mine had a 7.5k annual property tax bill in NY State.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920949#Comment_119920949

Agree with all of that.

sameoldname

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920613#Comment_119920613

Any chance you could name the country? If it's oil-rich or a city-state I'm going to be very disappointed.

blackbox

How much would our taxes be if we had an effective army, navy and air force like other European countries - and an effective modern police force?

fliball123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920963#Comment_119920963

But in your very narrative water is something that we dont pay again, but we do pay for it. Why should we pay again for it because other countries do? As I stated our public services are shockingly bad when you compare them with the likes of the UK, nordic country and Germany. We get a very poor return on interest. Look if they want to charge for water them bring down my income tax to the same amount and don't privatize it and keep it going for the good of the country not for the good of others pocket.

salonfire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119921166#Comment_119921166

Water is paid for out of car taxation and car tax is reduced since 2008.

Water charges make perfect logically sense same as broadband, electric, gas etc.

xxxxxxl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119921648#Comment_119921648

Off topic I know but How many red letters advising over due fine for not having a water charge are in the Dail ?

Nighttime22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119921648#Comment_119921648

Water is a human right, what are the rest of our taxes being used for if not to guarantee clean drinking water, it's ridiculous 40% tax on wages only to turn around and ask you for money for clean water..

maninasia

Highest income rax rate kicking in at 40k makes it a very high tax country for average to higher earners (agree that those on lower earning get off fairly lightly).

The USC really ramps as you get up to 100k plus. 100k salary is your typical salary for a middle manager in many deveopled countries. Its disheartening to see the taxman suck out your hard earned Euro as you progress and work hard in your given career.

Also that tax band was only very slightly adjusted this year , and has not been adjusted for many years so it has captured far more earners now than it did initially.

CGT of 33% can make it a very expensive country for business people and simply those workers to try to invest in stocks of mutual funds , with deemed disposal being the real kicker, taxes of up to 40% on ETFs is madness. Who thought that up ?

49% fuel tax not high tax? Thats the one that really frices me mad because it pushesup the cost of everything and thr government is directly responsible for it. Alcohol and tobacco taxes and standard VAT ratesat 23%, pull the other one.

maninasia

Its in East Asia, countries there are fairly similar in their approach, no not a city state. You can get your income tax rate knocked down very low due to claiming family dependents and various allowances. It's true Hong Kong and Singapore have very low income taxes, with Hong Kong actually giving money to residents in some years!

East Asia VAT (sales taxes) rates are low too, 5% to 10% is common, Japan went from 8% to 10% a while back and there was uproar.

Ireland is good for importing goods within the EU having no import tax but you still get hit with the very high VAT . I don't listen to anybody who claims that adding 13.5% to 23% onto the cost of most goods and services is not high tax.

Energy and electricity costs in Ireland are out of control due to the multiple taxes they apply (fuel tax, excise tax, standing charges), very little debate about that which is always surprising to me.

Most of the 'cost of living crisis' in Ireland is due to taxation and fees and foolish policies pursued by the government.

Murph85

Great post above. The one saying tax isnt high here are the ones contributing nothing. The vat payers... 40k you are a poverty case in Dublin, but at that point, they take 50% of your income. While you live at home with mammy and daddy at 35. Paying for the luxury accommodation for the nearby generational work shy. Their luxury a1 rated apartment. The fuel allowance. The welfare bonus. The electricity credit... medical card, free travel... give them free merc and Audi too sure...

In fairness it actually is a low tax country for the most part... its this being crucified by the marginal rate of tax, that are the only ones who can reasonably complain...

thinkabouit

I’ve lived in a good few different countries, We are bled dry here on everything.

my biggest gripe is Cars

from getting your license, theory & full test

the cost of buying one

the cost of nct, tax & insurance

the tolls

the cost of repairs; tyres, service etc

Diesel & petrol & electricity now

the absolute state of some roads

OTT Fines for this and that etc

these are serious serious costs and public transport will never be fixed because of the amount of money cars bring in.

Thats where I see a lot of my pay check going, just to get to work.

Nighttime22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119924061#Comment_119924061

They get away with it, because it's spread out thru the year, if people were getting hit with the full cost of owning a car at the start of the year there would be up roar.

They have a chip away tactic and it works fantastically.

It's when you sit down and get your salary of what you LL earn for the year before you even start paying these taxes you realize we are absolutely savaged financially. And the scary thing is that's the best case scenario.

sameoldname

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119923484#Comment_119923484

Can you not just tell me where it is? Why do I have to guess? Malaysia?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058273068/ireland-the-land-of-taxes-and-endless-fees

You'd be amazed how much better off you'll be Op if you sell your car and switch to walking/bike/PT.

I did and save a fortune