Anybody who doubts that the Revenue Commissioners are immune from this type of difficulty need only consider their recent history.
The Revenue recently set up a “Large Cases Division” (LCD). One of the most striking promises made to large taxpayers to encourage their participation in the initiative, is that it will protect them from “competitive disadvantage”. In stark contrast, the relish with which Revenue went about applying the full rigour of the law to small (mainly elderly) taxpayers caught up in recent scandals is disturbing.
The elderly are a favourite target of officialdom, as demonstrated by the disgraceful attempt retrospectively to legitimise state-sponsored theft from residents of nursing homes. A large proportion of our elderly population had their life savings confiscated and were left to face their last days in penury.
Clearly, the Revenue must have the tools to combat tax evasion. However, the public deserves protection from the abuses which can flow from ambiguous law.
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Jim O’Hara
Longford