To: Ordinary people, Aid agencies, 3rd world charities, independent NGOs, TDs, Senators, ethical businesses

Stop Ireland being a Tax Haven

Photo by Gabriel Ramos on Unsplash

Stop Irish financial services, multinationals and Government contributing massively to worsening global inequality. Propose a model, in line with our green agenda, to be the best little country in the world to do ethical business.

Why is this important?

We are siphoning off the tax base of many, often poorer countries by our corporate tax policies and loopholes. We deny them the funds for hospitals, schools, social supports and infrastructure as well as their capacity to fight climate change. As a tax haven we are doing far more global damage than anything we do that damages the world’s climate.
Apple admitted to the US senate that their effective tax rate in Ireland is 2%. Microsoft acknowledged that they put €98 billion through Ireland ‘that was not subject to tax in this jurisdiction’ They paid €3 billion in tax that year ( on €24 billion at 12% ?) making it approx 2% tax rate again. The untaxed money comes from Profit Shifting to Ireland ie profits from other countries.
My friend in sub Saharan Africa said all the youth have smartphones but not enough to eat. That’s the power of advertising a product-on which no tax was paid. Ireland is a country that is generous in it’s contributions to developing nations but we completely undermine this by our tax haven activities. It’s time to call for a change in direction to a more ethical business and tax model