Girl's letter to Ray Darcy show today...

seamus · 26-11-2009 12:54PM

I agree with Frada here, heartless or not. Sounds like the entire case has been shortened down into a few lines in order to make it appear even more heart-tugging. You'd swear it took place over a matter of weeks.

Basic facts I took from those few lines:

He didn't have health insurance, but chose to go privately anyway, therefore choosing to bankrupt himself.

He took the business of closing down his business on his own shoulders, giving no regard to the legal and financial aspects of it - i.e. paying the VAT he owed.

Revenue spent months asking him to contact them to arrange a payment schedule for that final €1k, but he ignored them or told them to feck off, so they went to court and secured an order to reposses items.

Racked with ill-health, the man's heart failed and he died from complications of lymphoma. His family are understandly angry and upset and are looking for something to blame it on besides, "the facts of life".

Let this be a lesson to everyone over 30:

If the choice this year is between a new telly and health insurance, go for the health insurance, for fnck's sake.

flanzer · 26-11-2009 12:54PM

I remember in the mid-90s, the sheriff came around to our house looking for money off my Dad for a £8,000 BIK bill due to a company car. A bill which he knew nothing about. Between the accountant and an simple oversight on my Dads part, it was missed. It can happen in business. He had 2 weeks to pay up or they would start repossessing posessions. My mam cried solid for 2 weeks. Somehow, they managed to cough up the cash.

I can completely sypathise with the girl.

It makes me sick at what's going on. People getting prison for missing mortgage repayments yet Sean Fitz can play regular golf and doesn't repay a thing.

Bertie's make-up bill in his last year in charge could have cleared that woman's father's tax bill 28 times over. It's a joke.

granturismo · 26-11-2009 12:54PM

john_d_baptist wrote: »

When the family tried to intervene, the Gardai were called in to prevent the revenue from carrying out their 'work'....!

The Gardai were called by the Sheriff to allow him to carry out his 'work'

Sending the Sheriff to collect €1000 is ridiculous.

If this is true, we're a nation of emotionless begrudgers who bring down governments when they tax children shoes and get worked up over the right to drink drive and replay a soccer match. If this was France or Iceland we'd be out on the streets and the government would be out.

niceirishfella · 26-11-2009 12:54PM

Wheres the humanity here?

Some stone cold comments from anonomous people trying to act hard - pityful.

irishvamp90 · 26-11-2009 12:56PM

I didnt hear it but would i be right in saying he had his warnings,but being a stubborn old man he kinda went into bull mccabe mode

Spud83 · 26-11-2009 12:57PM

shqipshume wrote: »

I doubt the bank own it all only part,which in that case they would turf them out sell the house and take their money.

As far as I know the bank own the house until the mortgage is fully paid off. The revenue/sheriffs office can not take something that does not belong to whoever the court action is against. For example I worked in a company that rented its computer equipment the sheriffs office came knocking one day, and they couldn't take that equipment once we showed them the rental agreement.

Also its much harder to get an eviction order, rather than a repossession order, especially when its a family home.

flanzer · 26-11-2009 12:57PM

Jake Faithful Teflon wrote: »

This might seem like a stupid question, but why didn't he pay his taxes?

As a matter of interest are you self employed or do you work for a company, where all you PAYE taxes and PRSI payments are done for you?

The tax system can be so complex, regardless of how good you accountant is, that oversights can happen

Wucking Fanker · 26-11-2009 12:58PM

I think there's a few facts missing from the OP's story. The bill of 1000 is what is outstanding now, after the letter being read. What happened prior to this was that the Sheriff came and took everything that wasn't nailed to the floor, including the poor man's scooter, which he used to get around in outside. The man was wheelchair-bound (or at least that's the impression I got) and could do nothing but watch while the Sheriff even checked the fridge to see if it could be moved.

I'm not sure that his mobility, or lack thereof, had anything to do with him being able to with him being unable to pay his taxes. It may well be that he refrained from paying them. But, since I don't know all the facts of the story, i won't comment either way. Some of the 'hard-asses' on here should probably do the same, unless you know for sure he evaded tax.

shqipshume · 26-11-2009 01:00PM

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

As far as I know the bank own the house until the mortgage is fully paid off. The revenue/sheriffs office can not take something that does not belong to whoever the court action is against. For example I worked in a company that rented its computer equipment the sheriffs office came knocking one day, and they couldn't take that equipment once we showed them the rental agreement.

Also its much harder to get an eviction order, rather than a repossession order, especially when its a family home.

We all know the banks revenue and tds and developers etc.. scratch each others backs.

ghosttown · 26-11-2009 01:00PM

Problem here seems to me to be the definition of a 'sherriff'.... i 'think' these are subcontractors paid on a commission of what they collect, basically state sponsored debt collectors, who don't overly care. From what little i know of them, he must have gotten them fairly pissed to do what they did, they know he's not going anywhere - some open discussions and they'd give him more time (not much).
Don't think we got the full story tbh.

Spud83 · 26-11-2009 01:01PM

niceirishfella wrote: »

Wheres the humanity here?

Some stone cold comments from anonomous people trying to act hard - pityful.

I'm not trying to act hard, I'm am cold hearted, especially when people fail to take some personal responsibility.

4zn76tysfajdxp · 26-11-2009 01:01PM

flanzer wrote: »

As a matter of interest are you self employed or do you work for a company, where all you PAYE taxes and PRSI payments are done for you?

None of the above.

Sleipnir · 26-11-2009 01:02PM

niceirishfella wrote: »

Wheres the humanity here?

Some stone cold comments from anonomous people trying to act hard - pityful.

Not on here!
Losing your father because he didn't pay some taxes is pretty bad.

To all those people who said "tough, if he had paid his taxes he might still be alive" can you picture your own father coming to you and saying he screwed up the tax he owed a few years ago and they've been chasing him for the last while. He's had to sell the car etc and they still won't leave him alone?

Now picture him in a coffin and say;
"You should have paid your taxes Dad"

shqipshume · 26-11-2009 01:02PM

flanzer wrote: »

As a matter of interest are you self employed or do you work for a company, where all you PAYE taxes and PRSI payments are done for you?

The tax system can be so complex, regardless of how good you accountant is, that oversights can happen

+1
Exactly,I had to do the books for a woman i know who had her own small run business and although paying her taxes, she owed some more when her accounts were done.

Sleipnir · 26-11-2009 01:03PM

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

I'm not trying to act hard, I'm am cold hearted, especially when people fail to take some personal responsibility.

Bull****. People are only cold-hearted when it's not happening to them.

phasers · 26-11-2009 01:03PM

This seems a bit weird but I'm not sure why. The entire story sounds like something off Eastenders... Something's not right.

Spud83 · 26-11-2009 01:04PM

Sleipnir wrote: »

Not on here!
Losing your father because he didn't pay some taxes is pretty bad.

To all those people who said "tough, if he had paid his taxes he might still be alive" can you picture your own father coming to you and saying he screwed up the tax he owed a few years ago and they've been chasing him for the last while. He's had to sell the car etc and they still won't leave him alone?

Now picture him in a coffin and say;
"You should have paid your taxes Dad"

Well I wouldn't go crying on national radio looking for sympathy.

shqipshume · 26-11-2009 01:04PM

irishvamp90 wrote: »

I didnt hear it but would i be right in saying he had his warnings,but being a stubborn old man he kinda went into bull mccabe mode

I think when the family were scraping it together to try pay it,doesnt look like that situation at all.

john_d_baptist · 26-11-2009 01:06PM

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

I'm not trying to act hard, I'm am cold hearted, especially when people fail to take some personal responsibility.

If you want to talk about personal responsibility, then look no further than the elected representatives of this country, and their departments... are your feelings towards them as cold hearted?

boodlesdoodles · 26-11-2009 01:07PM

Sleipnir wrote: »

Not on here!
Losing your father because he didn't pay some taxes is pretty bad.

To all those people who said "tough, if he had paid his taxes he might still be alive" can you picture your own father coming to you and saying he screwed up the tax he owed a few years ago and they've been chasing him for the last while. He's had to sell the car etc and they still won't leave him alone?

Now picture him in a coffin and say;
"You should have paid your taxes Dad"

My father did pay his taxes, as a Paye worker like myself, he had no other choice. While I have sympathy for this girl, like a previous poster said it would have taken numerous opportunities and chances for the Sheriff to be involved and perhaps this family were paying everyone else but the Revenue which seems to be the case. Companies have a statutory obligation to pay to the exchequer how else do we pay for the dole, hospitals etc? I also felt Ray came across as a little man with a personal vendetta, he never let the man speak or finish a sentence. Why let the truth and the law get in the way of a good histrionic fit????

Wazdakka · 26-11-2009 01:08PM

niceirishfella wrote: »

Wheres the humanity here?

Some stone cold comments from anonomous people trying to act hard - pityful.

Nope..
I would have this conversation face to face with anybody and tell them the same.

Ideally the father before he died, hopefully give him a bit of a kick to get his affairs in better order.

Having the discussion with the daughter would be tough allright..
But nobody's life is a sugar coated cake of magnificence.
We've all got our sob stories.

hblock21 · 26-11-2009 01:09PM

End 2008 due to recession your man laid off 8 employees.

Start 2009 he got lymphoma, closed business completely.

(Assuming no health insurance) Family had massive bills to cover his sickness.

Then letter from revenue came looking for money.

Family sold cars etc etc to pay off some of the unpaid tax. Then came to an agreement with revenue to pay monthly or whatever time scale. Letter said they paid on time every month.

Then sheriff came in September. Took everything. They showed the sherrf correspondence from revenue about monthly payments, but didnt take them on board.

€1000 was still owed after all this, sheriff / revenue sent letters / rang constantly.

Man died 3 weeks ago.

That was the jist of the story.

Cookie_Monster · 26-11-2009 01:09PM

The revenue are the one group you don't **** with!

Rule 1 of business

Spud83 · 26-11-2009 01:09PM

Sleipnir wrote: »

Bull****. People are only cold-hearted when it's not happening to them.

I wouldn't go on national radio looking for sympathy if something like that happened to me. I have been apart of companies going down the crappier, I have seen what the owners have gone through, I have seen what the families go through, and I have seen what the employees go through. If anything those experiences have shaped my views on this matter to be more cold hearted rather than sympathetic.

john_d_baptist wrote: »

If you want to talk about personal responsibility, then look no further than the elected representatives of this country, and their departments... are your feelings towards them as cold hearted?

None of the elected officials should have a job right now IMO, as for the departments well I think the public and civil service are acting disgracefully at this time then again I'm not sure what you are asking.

flanzer · 26-11-2009 01:12PM

Jake Faithful Teflon wrote: »

None of the above.

So you're unemployed so? If you ever were self-employed or know anyone who is self-employed ask them about the complexity of the tax system. Most people who are self employed don't even deal the tax payments themselves but hire an accountant.

I actually heard the story this morning and can directly relate to the woman'ss story. I also know people unknowingly being landed with crazy tax bills and are finding it hard to repay them. These people are good people not like the Ray Burke's of this world who willingly tax dodge and I think it was slighty cold-hearted of you to make your original comment

EDIT: I also have the same opinion of the people who thanked your post BTW

shqipshume · 26-11-2009 01:12PM

hblock21 wrote: »

End 2008 due to recession your man laid off 8 employees.

Start 2009 he got lymphoma, closed business completely.

(Assuming no health insurance) Family had massive bills to cover his sickness.

Then letter from revenue came looking for money.

Family sold cars etc etc to pay off some of the unpaid tax. Then came to an agreement with revenue to pay monthly or whatever time scale. Letter said they paid on time every month.

Then sheriff came in sep. Took everything. They showed the sherrf correspondence from revenue about monthly payments, but didnt take them on board.

€1000 was still owed after all this, sheriff / revenue sent letters / rang constantly.

Man died 3 weeks ago.

That was the jist of the story.

Only 1 thousand that's just sick

:mad:

4zn76tysfajdxp · 26-11-2009 01:16PM

flanzer wrote: »

So you're unemployed so? If you ever were self-employed or know anyone who is self-employed ask them about the complexity of the tax system. Most people who are self employed don't even deal the tax payments themselves but hire an accountant.

I actually heard the story this morning and can directly relate to the woman'ss story. I also know people unknowingly being landed with crazy tax bills and are finding it hard to repay them. These people are good people not like the Ray Burke's of this world who willingly tax dodge and I think it was slighty cold-hearted of you to make your original comment

I didn't make a comment, I asked a question.

Fuhrer · 26-11-2009 01:17PM

shqipshume wrote: »

Only 1 thousand that's just sick :mad:

Ok...

How much should be owed before the Revenue have to collect?

5starpool · 26-11-2009 01:17PM

john_d_baptist wrote: »

OP here again.... theres a co-presenter on the Ray Darcy show (sounds like a nice guy), he went on to explain how his family in Cork had a newspaper article framed on the living room wall of an eviction attempt back in 1885, where the police arrived but decided against evicting the family on humanitarian grounds because the lady of the house was very sick and in bed upstairs... apparently the police and authorities used to arrive with a doctor. On this occassion the doctor declared that a family member was too unwell......
This was under Her Majesty's rule, and our fore fathers gave their lives in a bid to rid ourselves of British rule.... Im not a stark raving republican, or anything like it, I just feel that this country is being destroyed from within

We'd have to pay the costs of those doctors too.

Anyways, this does sound like a very seflmade problem. Obviously the outcome is sad for the family, but when you take actions that could see your whole family ruined with no protection in case of emergency, the worst is liable to happen.

Also, if it was only a grands worth of stuff the revenue were taking, it would hardly be that stressful surely? It's not like the kids beds were being taken I'm sure.

shqipshume · 26-11-2009 01:21PM

Fuhrer wrote: »

Ok...

How much should be owed before the Revenue have to collect?

No it should be collect but not in the manner at which it was collected.Its like it was ten grand.Maybe if they had laid off a little gave them room to breathe.Wouldn't have ended like it has.

Girl's letter to Ray Darcy show today...

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