The Irish Times has a feature today in which it is said:
In some cultures failing to pay one's taxes is regarded as a disgrace, but not so in ours, where 'tax fugitives' are feted as heroes
This is a feature of the moral decline in Ireland.
It's become endemic. Bono typifies it. As I have already noted he has said:
Ireland's prosperity had been achieved through tax innovation and it would be churlish to criticise U2 for being innovative in relation to their tax affairs when that's what people were encouraged to do and that's what made the country prosperous.
It's curious too that the Irish Times article was in the context of philanthropy. I note J P McManus was Philanthropist of the Year in Ireland in 2007. He is an Irish tax exile.
No wonder Ireland is a mess.
In the context of which - anyone who is watching Irish television tonight might like to note I'll be on Primetime at 9.35pm
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As usual Richard, you’ve described the sickening egotism and double standards of the tax-dodging rich to a tee, much as Marina Hyde did in her excellent Guardian article about Stanford and the ‘fauxlanthropists’. I suppose the egotism which leads them to becoming rich and then dodge paying their fair share of tax on it is also reflected in their love of showing off via their support for ‘charidee’. Pass me a sick bucket somebody, please.