Just goes to show how inefficient the so-called public service is. It’s time to demand results!

It is shocking, Aaron McK. However, things are changing & hopefully for the good. What else will we learn over time, eh ?!

Absolutely Neil C.
This is as you say a deflection tactic from the ridiculous things that are going on else where in this country . Start at the top . The high wages TDs receive , do we really need so many , then there is the multi pensions ”retired”politicians receive ,
Most of the pensioners who may not be paying their full whack are not avoiding it on purpose , if they have always paid their dues it is highly UNLIKELY they will default now…… It is up to the revenue to alert people to what they owe . This is a cop out for the Government and again pick on the little man .It is as if they are turning us ordinary folk on each other ,to cause a deflection from the real fraud.
I am not saying that people should not be paying their dues , but not back date it for these pensioners . This is unnecessary fear mongering and scare tactics. ….

Incorrect. This is about the taxation of Old Age Pensions paid by the state. My father already pays tax and USC on his employee pension. He is 83 and has been receiving the State pension since age 66.

Eh, not it’s not Vincent. It’s about taxing anyone whose income is above €18k.

If you only have a State pension you won’t be taxed.

Will you cop yourself on? The only people well looked after in this bankrupt state are those in the the least productive part of the economy – bankers.

Fault is not the issue. Correction is necessary and adjustment to deductions to reflect the correct dues are paid is the responsibility of the tax payer.

No Conor . Fault is the issue here particularly as the letter states a form of apology while saying that tax is due….

Conor you have already stated the hang them as defaulters. Your views on the matter are not exactly impartial.

The person I have described is going to pay the back tax, in fact they have always done their best to ensure all tax matters where done correctly. But the issue here is not as described in the article. The person did declare the incomes but the people in the Public Service who get paid to do a job failed to do the job properly. So is this just a case of PR spin on the issue.

I totally agree with you and I think a lot of cute shysters may not have declared all their income in the hope Revenue would not cotton on, but my carp is with the convoluted, difficult to understand and complicated letter sent out to pensioners, the majority of whom are fully tax compliant and have enough troubles to contend with at this stage of their life. My parents got one and although I know they are fully paid up tax payers and have declared all their income they are worried sick now. Revenue should not have sent letters out to every pensioner without having checked their tax situation first – if they checked my parents situation they would have not sent out the threatening letter to them.

I totally agree with you and I am sure there are shysters out there among the OAPs who don’t declare in the hope Revenue won’t go after them but my carp is with the letter sent out to pensioners yesterday regardless of whether they are tax compliant or not – it seems anyone in receipt of Social Welfare income and Old Age Pension was mailed whether they declared or not and the letter was so complicated, convoluted and difficult to understand one would need to be a totally up-to-date expert on the subject. It was a cruel, heartless thing to do because it would give anyone a headache to read the damn thing.

If our taxes were not, for the most part, used to pay interest on a currency that should never have to be issued at interest, then I’d agree. However, as our currency, like that before it, is issued at interest by private central banks who do little to warrant a huge slice of our work product other than the fact that they run fancy printing presses, I’ll have to disagree with you.

Promoted would be more like it!!

This is what I have been saying too . Divide and conquer …… that is what the government is doing. Wake up every body and look at the bigger picture.

lots of people who have declared and paid on all their income received these letters yesterday – not just the tax evaders, that is what is annoying most people. Revenue could not be bothered to check first, putting the onus on the elderly to prove their innocence of tax evasion. No longer are we innocent until proved guilty it seems

This is undeclared income, Loyallrish Citizen. Income some people didn’t declare properly. It is no different to when Beverley “Cheesey Grin” Cooper Flynn was offering people means to avoid paying DIRT tax years ago. It’s cheating our taxation system. People who engaged in this are hardly loyal Irish citizens. Everything is tightening up now & that’s a good thing. We have the IMF to thank for that as our useless shower of gobshites in Fául Eireann can’t/won’t do it. If Govt are going down this route, hit those at the top, too.

Should read “Fáil Eirean”. D’oh !!

The Govt. has to be commended for this. It is what happens in normal countries. That it has been going on to this scale is just symptomatic of the reasons that we have had 90 years of emigration and poverty.

The Govt. should ensure that it is back paid as well.

@Declan Carroll: As the news story has developed the approach seems to be softening against the needy and hardening against the more affluent.

They should really concentrate on those at the top.

I still consider that some of these old age pensioners can give them a run for there money. They can be quite crafty at times.

Tim – I actually agree with u on what u say. LoyalIrish Citizen – they need to start at the top & work their way down. Leave those less well off alone. Yes – some of those pensioners could teach some a lesson or two. Everything is being streamlined & linked together. At the end of the day, that can only be a good thing that’s fair. Hopefully !!

Ok so shall we start with your relatives?
Let those without sin cast the first stone …
Most of these people are innocent of their ”crime” .
Let them start paying their taxes from today, but back dating it is not right.

I don’t mind. Find 1 who defaulted or evaded tax and make him/her accountable
Otherwise there is age discrimination in the tax system.
Next thing you will find elderly wealthy people won’t pay the household charge.

I must say the government have achieved their objective with you anyway . Can you not see the bigger picture ? This is all propaganda by the powers that be .Turn the people on each other ,that will keep their minds away from the REAL issues.
Oh and why should anyone pay the house tax? We already did when we bought it or are you just a yes man?

Eileen, I have already decided to leave Ireland. This is on the cards for 2014 when my son finishes university. The government has lost me, my wife and my son. In the meantime, I will work and pay my taxes.
Older people with tax liabilities should pay their dues.
If I defaulted, I’d be prosecuted and if found guilty, I’d have to pay all tax owed and about 100% penalty when my name is published in a name and shame campaign.
Root out all freeloaders and remove the burden from the rest of us.

Elderly people who have worked all of their lives and provided pensions for themselves are hardly freeloaders . Good luck where ever you go . I wish you all well.
Did your son get a grant for Uni ? I am just wondering after your comment about ”freeloaders” or did your taxes go towards his education bills ? Were you entitled to claim these grants on his behalf ? Please be careful who you call freeloaders . People with private pensions most certainly are not ”freeloaders” . They must have earned their way to having a private pension. Just as you probably did to gain your son’s education .

Eileen – if it was a banker who owed back tax I’m sure you would be one of the first to demand that they pay their dues.

Donal Mc Carthy
If it was a banker I am sure that person would be well up on the tax laws !!! And we all know how just and honest they are .:)

Eileen, you would also expect someone who had been around a long time to be up on the tax laws!

As someone who has seen their tax bill increase a lot in the last few years, I would be very annoyed if I thought the certain classes of people were being let off paying their dues.

Donal Mc Carthy
No I do not EXPECT anything any more . We all can not be experts in everything . I think people should pay their dues , I have already said this , but if a pensioner has not, then draw a line and start paying from today. This is a divide and conquer tactic as is the house tax etc…, .

Donal
I have paid all my taxes too . As have all my family and colleagues ,friends and parents . What have we to show only more tax bills while the people who never pay tax …..never pay tax.

“Tax evaders beware, the net is closing.”

Of course, we must all contribute to the cost of keeping the central bankers and IMF functionaries in the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed.