People Before Profit have called for an effective tax amnesty for workers facing tax bills as a result of receiving Covid related support payments over the past year.
The party has described as “frightening” reports from workers of much larger tax bills than the revenue authorities had first suggested and said these bills, while formally not due for payment this year, where already impacting on many workers, including front line workers in transport and health related sectors.
Bríd Smith TD said: “Many workers who may have claimed tax refunds on medical and health related expenses, for example, are finding that they are having these normal refunds deducted from any outstanding amount of tax owed as a result of been placed on the TWSS or the EWSS schemes. Effectively they are repaying these bills now, not next years or over 4 years as Revenue and the Minister had reassured them.
“Additionally, many workers are reporting that while their basic take home pay remained the same during the crisis, because of the way their employer operated the schemes they are facing much larger demands for tax owed from Revenue than was suggested. I have seen figures of €1,500, to €3,000 euro for relatively low paid workers in key sectors.
“This is grossly unfair, and we are asking the state to show the same flexibility to PAYE workers as they show routinely to multinational corporations and big business and this case considering the unique circumstances involved, write off the outstanding amount. This money won’t be siphoned off to an offshore bank account, its already been spent by workers in the local economy during this crisis.”
