Irish People being threathened by their Government

Bronco Lane

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Since this government came in to power I have to say I am feeling very threathened. We have had various ministers saying that if we don't do this that or the other they will penalise us in some way.
We now have the latest threat about the Property Tax. If you don't value your property correctly you will be punished in some way when you go to sell, if you end up getting more for it.
It seems that they are intent on using the big stick to force the very people who elected them to do what they want or else.
 
In the example you gave, it is no different to how the tax system has operated for the last 15 or 20 years. You self assess and if you under-declare income they will hammer you.

I'm not sure of what other "threats" you perceive?
 
@callybags - as most people dont in fact file a tax return how would that statement in fact be true?

I think BroncoLane has identified that the approach to this propert tax seems to be related to a dressing down the Government got on from the Troika and instead of actually seeing a success of 70% collection with the Local Authorities, panicked and called in the Revenue.

They have put jack boots on it to punish the country for being landed with this crock from the Government.

Unfortunately Revenue are very good with collections and this is a bad omen for a tax that was to be self assessed. Hopefully even Dublin Castle will have underestimated that this is really irritating people and that the marches will start, or failing that that TDs will pereceive that they may lose their seats - next best thing to a revolution if folk have other thing on the same day.

However, if previous events did not cause the country to rise up, this wont either. But I think Broncos point is well made.
 
I'm sorry but I don't agree.

Ok, the property tax was introduced on at the request of the troika, but I think we would have got some form of property tax anyway. The hole left by the lack of stamp duty would have to be filled somehow.

The "threatening" only relates to the collection of the tax. In my opinion it is no different to the existing collection methods used for:

Self-employed tax
Electric/Gas bills
Motor Tax
Bin Charges
Etc.

They all use threats in one form or another, otherwise collection rates would be dismal.

So I don't see anything new or different in the one example the OP used.

Maybe they have other examples of the "threats" by our government?
 
what are daft are the "snitch" provisions. They've told us all about their new database reporting the value of property sales, why dont they just cross-check all new entries with the value as declared for LPT?

.... and if they give some rubbish about data protection and the systems cannae take it I'm going to bloody scream !!!!! It still baffles me how they cant/wont make any sensible decisions on child benefit - systems can work if you really want them to.

& anyway, unless the undervaluing is totally blatant, who knows what a house is worth, innocent undeclaring of value is very plausible.

So while I'm all for towing the line and getting through this and I've paid every charge and registering every conceiveable thing they want to tax, I ABSOLUTELY DRAW THE LINE on implicating a seller of a house - if they want dirty work done let them do it themselves.
 
.

I'm not sure of what other "threats" you perceive?

There was the one when they introduced the Household Charge and big Phil said that they would withhold the student grants of the non payers children if the parents didn't pay up. Callybags, does that one count in your mind?
 
I am in agreement with Bronco Lane that government has become extremely vocal with threats to the public. Yes, all taxes come with an underlying threat, but when is the last time you heard politicians harp on about how they will force or punish people for not declaring their correct income tax return. It is a blatant threat by government.

Thomas Jefferson said it well: "When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty."

While we are nowhere near tyranny the government is definitely moving in the wrong direction and I hope that the public wake up to this.
 
I have to agree with Bronco. Threats of punishment or fines seems to be the order of the day. Everything about this government is about take, take, take. I wish there was an election tomorrow so we could send the lot of them packing.
 
i am in agreement with bronco lane that government has become extremely vocal with threats to the public. Yes, all taxes come with an underlying threat, but when is the last time you heard politicians harp on about how they will force or punish people for not declaring their correct income tax return. It is a blatant threat by government.

Thomas jefferson said it well: "when the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty."

while we are nowhere near tyranny the government is definitely moving in the wrong direction and i hope that the public wake up to this.

+1.
 
+ 1

and ..... the air of arrogance they emit annoys me too. Alan Shatter, for example, is one of the worst offenders.
 
Looking increasingly likely that they will be kicked out at the next election:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0216/368110-second-opinion-poll-has-fianna-fail-as-top-party/

The big game changer could be the Croke Park agreement. If FG can get some decent cuts in public sector pay and pensions, it could save them.

Labour are completely stuffed, now at 13% in the polls. They have been very weak in gubbernment to date - that Howlin could only come up with a saving of €30m on a €1bn+ bill for "allowances" was a disgrace.
 
In some ways the Irish need to be threatened, as they will try to avoid / evade taxes, fines, etc., and will try to scam everything.

Small example - bike to work scheme.

Loads in my workplace bought bikes under the scheme, but only 1 or 2 actually cucle to work.

Penalty points scams, rent supp scams, etc.
 
There is a terrible coldness and lack of empathy in this government. Enda Kenny has to spend two weeks reading a report on the Magdalenes, or should I say his spin doctors have to, in order to get his response right. Everything is planned, every word, every smile, every nuance. This coldness manifests itself in the threathening behaviour and remarks being made.
In short they couldn't give a toss about us.
 
In some ways the Irish need to be threatened, as they will try to avoid / evade taxes, fines, etc., and will try to scam everything.

+1

I have paid the Household Charge, will pay the Property Tax, don't feel threatened.

That is the norm - the people to whom the 'threats' are directed are the exceptions.
 
There is a terrible coldness and lack of empathy in this government. Enda Kenny has to spend two weeks reading a report on the Magdalenes, or should I say his spin doctors have to, in order to get his response right.

I've no problem with the govt. taking it's time to formulate the correct response. I think acting in haste has not served us well in the past...

Michael Woods & the religious orders
Brian Lenihan & the bank guarantee

I heard Enda Kenny's response this evening. I found it satisfactory... more importantly the representative groups for the Magdalen women found it satisfactory [I only heard 2 groups responses]
 
Since this government came in to power I have to say I am feeling very threathened. We have had various ministers saying that if we don't do this that or the other they will penalise us in some way.
We now have the latest threat about the Property Tax. If you don't value your property correctly you will be punished in some way when you go to sell, if you end up getting more for it.
It seems that they are intent on using the big stick to force the very people who elected them to do what they want or else.

Totally agree--it's all threats, threats, threats...... like they're telling you big brother is watching you all the time. It's been on the newspaper regularly and I was shocked to see story of how they'll be doing some sort of aerial mapping of houses so YOU KNOW you can't tell them a lie. We are all being treated as if totally dishonest----which isn't true as the vast majority of Irish people are tax compliant and law abiding. Next they'll be Micro Chipping us in some way:)
 
The problem with these people is that they were elected on the basis of telling un-truths.

Telling un-truths to students, people in the surrounds of Monaghan Hospital etc.

The Labour party promised that the Childrens allowance would not be touched.

They also promised to reduce quqngos by a specific number.

They seem to be introducing stelth taxes pretty frequently.

They don't even include corporation tax - when they talk about broadening the tax base.
 
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