Readers of the blog will be heartened to hear that, even in these cash-strapped times, the Revenue Commisioners have granted Bertie Ahern tax exemption for his autobiography.The artists' tax exemption scheme was introduced by Ahern's Mentor, Charlie Haughey, in 1969 – ostensibly to provide encouragement to struggling artists working away in their dingy garrets.
Predictably, it ended up being used as a vehicle for multi-billionaires U2 and their rock-star friends to avoid paying income tax. One unnamed beneficiary pocketed €10 million in one year without paying a cent on it, just before it was capped in 2006, according to today's Irish Times.
In order for a work to be granted exemption status by Revenue, it must be “original and creative” and “generally recognised as having cultural or artistic merit”.
While we doubt that Bertie’s account of his life in and out of politics contains much cultural merit, we are sure our erstwhile leader will give Stephen King a run for his money in the creativity stakes.
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5 comments:
Readers interested in literacy criticism will find a V good ...em ... criticism of Bertie's book in a Fintan O'Toole Irish Times article dd tues 12/1/2010...not so much criticism of the content ..as of the brass neck involved in getting tax exemption...in fact a lot of other literary critics have joined in...there are 4 pages of comments on a blog attched to the article...NB those who wonder just WHEN Irish leaders are going to behave like leaders of other major powers should note the following : The (suspect) Pakistani premier also wrote his biography - and spent public funds promoting ...interesting parallel that....Anna
Yes Anna, I read that article. It was spot on.
Bert also addressed the 2 Houses of American Houses of Congress, last yr (? or sometime in the last yr or 2). The USA correspondent of the IT noted that even tho an Irish ex premier had never done this, or maybe even a serving one, it was not a notable event over there- just a 1 inch mention in NYT that it was forthcoming, and nothing after.
OH yes it was on TV- 1 public service station whose entire remit is to record business of Houses of Congress (an electronic version of Hansard). Bertie was beamed out to a few 100, 000 – with a large red “health warning across bottom of screen, “Irish ex-premier- left office amid allegations of corruption.” Well as a N Irelander, I WOULD like to remember Bert as ‘Much involved in peace process’ I really would…very regrettable…well its Bart’s own choice…evidently being remembered as a Major Player in Peace Process (grateful people of NI) had no kudos compared to being the Cutest Hoor of Them All ( Charlie Haughey)…Anna
Fintan O’Toole stated clearly he Never asked for a special tax exemption for his book, ‘Ship of Fools’, a book which hopefully will kill off the Irish scum bag politician-a breed over represented by Fianna Fail. But one of F O’Ts best comments was in a Jan 2010 IV with Hot Press. On looking back over the Iv, I cant find this- did I read it on a website, OK, it was F O’T’.
He said’ It really hit me what different ideas people have about public service in one week when Bertie was telling a tribunal he had money because he won it on the horses(!!). In the same week, 2 Part time fire men who each got a 25 euro call out fee, Died in a burning building in Bray. It’s a sad story , but proves how many decent people there are here. Just a shame about some of our rulers,,,,lets sincerely hope…our Ex Rulers To be
On mature reflection, I was too hard on Bart, a working man who struggles like us: As a public servant on 39,000 I thought a pay cut of 7,000 PA was liveable- I don't have dependants. But old Bart has only his current TD pay (+ a pittance of a pension from the Sick & Indigent Ex- Taoiseachs Society).Luckily he won 10,000 in a charity draw in his local pub, Fagan's Drumcondra, in Feb/March and the FF press office says'this will go towards paying off a few bills- and a few pints*.
At the same time Willie O'Dea( Fianna Fail) resigned as minister- and got a 90,000 pay off
(destination of this money unknown).Trevor Sargeant( Green party) resigned as minister also, got 48,000 and gave it to St Vincent de Paul.Bart did once have a better paid job than Trevor, but he''s really scraping it together now- just the TD pay, book deal , speaking engagements etc ...as for that pension...sure it never went beyond 2 shillings since the Indigent ex-Taosieach''s society was founded in 1750, or was that the Indigent Roomkeepers society... oh, well Bart's a decent skin, and if any scheming tribunal dares suggest otherwise : He didn't do it : No-one saw him: and you can't prove a thing.
Now let's all form an orderly queque outside Fagan's Pub.*- as the FF press office never Did specify who 10,000 of pints were for.
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