Bono 'hurt' by criticism of U2 move to Netherlands to cut tax

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DublinTexas

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Bono speaks in the Irish Times about his feeling about people not to happy with the move of his revenue to the Netherlands:

[broken link removed]

And because this is so important, the tax part of the full interview is also Breaking News:

[broken link removed]


Sad so sad how someone can be so out of touch with his home country.
 
Bono pays vat on everything he buys in the country.

U2 are only availing of some tax avoidance.

That said - he does then call for extra government spending.
 
Isn't it strange though that he keeps referring to Dollars during the interview, millions of dollars and billions of dollars, does he know the currency here or the Netherlands for that matter?
 
gillarosa said:
Isn't it strange though that he keeps referring to Dollars during the interview, millions of dollars and billions of dollars, does he know the currency here or the Netherlands for that matter?
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I think Bono underwent Americanisation about 20 years ago.
 
cork said:
Bono pays vat on everything he buys in the country.

U2 are only availing of some tax avoidance.
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U2 pay all their income tax here. I think I read that the salary drawdowns last year were €21M so about €4M to each of the 4 plus Paul McGuinness - so Bono probably pays €1.5M - €2M of income tax in this country. Many people in this country pay zero tax. Is this what 'paying a fair share' is all about? U2 could easily join the real tax exiles avoiding income tax as well - and then Irish revenue would be down €7.5M to €10M. U2 are easy to pick on as very public 'offenders' but I find it hard to be critical of people who choose to stay here and contribute as much income tax as they do.

And for all those baying generally for an even 'fairer' sharing (aka tax the 'rich'), just remember that the more money someone has, the more mobile they are likely to be.
 
orka said:
U2 pay all their income tax here. I think I read that the salary drawdowns last year were €21M so about €4M to each of the 4 plus Paul McGuinness - so Bono probably pays €1.5M - €2M of income tax in this country. Many people in this country pay zero tax. Is this what 'paying a fair share' is all about? U2 could easily join the real tax exiles avoiding income tax as well - and then Irish revenue would be down €7.5M to €10M. U2 are easy to pick on as very public 'offenders' but I find it hard to be critical of people who choose to stay here and contribute as much income tax as they do.

And for all those baying generally for an even 'fairer' sharing (aka tax the 'rich'), just remember that the more money someone has, the more mobile they are likely to be.
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Maybe what annoys some people is not the fact that U2 moved some of the business abroad to avail of better tax measures, but that Bono himself was lecturing the government a couple of years ago about not donating enough taxpayers money to third world chairty. Then when the government implemented tax changes would affect U2, they moved that end of things to Holland.

On a smaller scale everyone that shops up the north is depriving the government of VAT, but a lot of people would not see anything wrong with that
 
orka said:
U2 pay all their income tax here. I think I read that the salary drawdowns last year were €21M so about €4M to each of the 4 plus Paul McGuinness - so Bono probably pays €1.5M - €2M of income tax in this country...
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I think Bono and the boys have been entitled to claim the "artists income tax exemption" on song-writing earnings for years, and they challenged the might of the record industry moguls to make that worth their while.

Record sales, tour and merchandise income belong to "U2 Inc" as do the studio, hotel and revenue from other ancilliary activities, I believe. This is what is has moved to the Netherlands, where they have "done an Intel" by creating jobs and added value while availing of corporation tax breaks. Salary drawdowns are from "U2 Inc" and are only part of their income.

I say fair play to them. We have far worse ambassadors and things have progressed in the artists' favour since the Beatles recorded "Taxman".
 
I feel quite strongly that Bono is a hypocrite. Its not the fact that the company he's part of has moved offshore but its the combination of that with his criticism of government policy on oveseas aid. Intel take advantage of tax reliefs here sure - but I don't hear them shouting at the US government about the level of overseas aid the US pays.

I also agree as one poster says that shopping in NI is not only unpatriotic but short sighted too since we'll all just have to pay higher taxes eventually as a result. But I don't do this - anyway how many of the NI shoppers go around lecturing people on the level of their contribution to the 3rd world?
 
I always thought Bono was a chancer. The manufactured hype to go along with his new album is a bit much. HMV opening its doors a 12pm due to phenonomal demand??
and only 40 turn up? U2 inc are a business they are not, never were great musicians.
They've made suckers out of their fans who've paid into the hype. I think Bono is a better business man than he is a musician. He's a bull****ter, not an artist, so shouldn't be tax exempt. Sorry Bono, if I've hurt you're feelings, I hope you find what you're looking for!
 
Let's not forget that most of U2 has never mentioned a word about debt forgiveness. Bono is only one quarter of U2.
 
He's a hypocritical pig.He lectured,harangued and hectored the irish people to send more of thier tax money to africa to salve thier conscience and the scum wont contribute anything himself.
 
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