Ireland asked to justify its abusive tax policies and their impact on children

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I was delighted to note the Irish Times reporting that:

The United Nations is to examine whether Irish policies contribute to tax abuse by companies that harms children's rights in other countries.

As they added:

Campaigners welcomed the move, arguing that “morally indefensible” Irish laws enable profits to be shifted from the developing world, damaging children's rights.

They noted:

It is the first time tax has been included in a review of Ireland's compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The treaty obliges Ireland to avoid policies that undermine the human rights of children at home or abroad.

As an old friend of mine commented:

Sorley McCaughey, head of policy and advocacy at Christian Aid Ireland, said that while Irish tax incentives attract investment, “they're not without consequence. Ireland's aggressive tax policies allow tax avoidance, and it's often developing countries that suffer most”.

I agree, and am pleased that:

Ireland has been asked to outline measures which “ensure that tax policies do not contribute to tax abuse by companies operating in other countries, leading to a negative impact on the availability of resources for the realisation of children's rights in those countries”.

The move is a success for tax campaigners, As The Irish Times notes:

The UN made the move after a submission from a group of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), including Christian Aid Ireland, the Global Legal Action Network (Glan), Oxfam Ireland, ActionAid Ireland and the Tax Justice Network.

Good work by all involved, I say.


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