Mick’s VAT mix up.

I’m astounded at the latest controversy surrounding local TD Mick Wallace. I genuinely thought I’d seen the last of it after the labour court judgements surrounding his restaurants’, the court order over unpaid pension but this takes the biscuit.  There was a sense of disbelief that only Flann O’Brian could interpret surrounding his Morning Ireland interview where he referred to the company of which he is sole director as “we” .  He may have reached a settlement with Revenue but to suggests that he will pay this agreed fine, penalties and charges for withholding VAT on his apartment sales for 2 years is another days work all together.  In the meantime there’s the important business of attending 3 Ireland matches in Poland.  Like the other developer who wanted to stay on in his Ailsbury Rd mansion until his son had finished school sometime next year, some of these high rollers still just don’t get it.

The high moral ground is a lonely place for Mick when you’re caught out 3 times already. In the absence of clinics or engagement with his electorate there is surely a question mark over his political future.  If you oppose household taxes and fail to understand the value of local government  it’s not a giant step to showing disdain for national government or citizenry.   As I write his Vote No referendum posters still stand on many a lamppost in the county, presumably awaiting Mick’s return from  Poland with a ladder to remove them. These posters are now in contravention of the law.  At the same time Tidy Town committees around the county  are doing their best before the first round of judging.  All of this seems over the head of the deputy from Wexford.  Sadly much of the good work Mick has done highlighting issues in the county that need to be raised is now tainted.  But to be fair there is a precedent. there are huge similarities to the Ellis controversy of the late 80’s where a FF TD whose company was bankrupt hung on as a TD despite owing millions.  But do Wallace’s supporters want to be compared to the GUBU era and Fianna Fail under Haughey?

Mick has carved a political career out of attacking the government over its failure to spend.  his protests might have a little more credibility if the he paid his own tax in full when due.  You can’t spend what you haven’t got, but for high rollers at the height of the tiger economy money was just a phone call away.   

But could the issue also raise other questions about Mr Wallace’s business ethics?  His decision to put the tax payer and his banks at the end of the list for payment poses the question was this the only such time that he took this course of action in his business? Recently he wrote in defence of sub contractors in a local paper.  But did he pay all his sub contractors and if not what criteria were used to decide who got paid and who didn’t?  The tax payer is entitled to assurances by Deputy Wallace as to how he operated his business even if it does interfere with his enjoyment of soccer.   It’s time for Deputy Wallace to clarify and explain his entire finances to the taxpayer and his constituents. In the absence of that its time for Mick to be called ashore. As the Anti Household Charge Anti Treaty poster says “Enough is Enough”

Patriotic Duty or Duty Free? Lenihan cuts 4th Green field adrift.

Patriotism is always the last refuge of the rogue. Once more our urbane Minister for Finance is pointing the finger across the border at southern shoppers who go north for a bargain. It’s his view that we should not go north, to further put revenue into “Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise”. Simple really, it’s not patriotic to go up the M1 anymore. This from a Minister who was elected in 2007 on a platform to build a motorway through Tyrone funded by southern tax payers is just another FF double standard. We can pay for the roads but whatever you do, don’t use them! minister Lenihan's real problem is that retail confidence has colapsed and that while in Britain & the North, Brown is trying to do something about it, Brian can do little other than wrap the green flag around himself.

As one of the 3% citizens in the Republic who’s the son of a northerner I beg to differ. I do not think there is anything wrong in the slightest with a citizen going north to shop. I’ve worked along the border and there has been a traditional trade across the border since before the border was set up. Every town has its hinterland and always will. Some of my relatives work in shops in border towns, they’re entitled to a living. Many of the products which are cheaper up north aren’t made in Irealnad or indeed the EU. Why should competition be good for every other EU citizen but not for us? Why is FF against consumers benefiting from a good exchange rate? As George Lee showed in his documentary globalisation means items made for a dollar a day in the far east is put in a container and the middle man makes a mint by moving that container half way around the world. Many of the retailers in Ireland losing sales to the north are multi-nationals. Transferring profits within the chain and out of the state. Where is the loyalty of some of the retailers Minister Lenihan wishes to protect to our community?

What the Minister conveniently forgets is that trade is often 2 ways. While shoppers for some items move north more than £100M is lost to the British exchequer by northern motorists travelling south for fuel. Add to that the revenue generated for the state by Slab Murphy as he legitimately purchases fuel in this state so that it can be “re-exported” with a minimal processing and turns up on forecourts all over the North. Slab must be asking himself what does a man have to do to get any recognition from this ungrateful state for developing his added value business that generates the hard cash that keeps schools, hospitals and FAS execs in clover!
Given the global and open market that exists since 1992 why should Irish citizens not be able to take advantage of what every other EU citizen is entitled to? I always thought FF were a party that wanted a 32 county state and were themselves a 32 county party? Republican during a boom but little Irelander during a bust.
Strange that these people’s money is good enough to accept in Drumcondra when they come south to Croke Park on All Ireland final day but ours is not to be shared for Christmas Day. Come Cheltenham in Spring every builder in the country will queue in the almost completed Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport to head off to represent this state at the racing and card playing festival, you won’t here any reminder here about patriotism. Indeed if you look closely you’ll probably see one waving a tricolour as an Irish winner is led into the enclosure. So; a woman going north to save a few bob to make ends meet when family finance is tight is unpatriotic, a man over in Cheltenham blowing cash to beat the band is one of the lads. Spare me the wrap the green flag around me guff, Peoples living standards are more important. Our republic is getting stranger.