Sir, – In light of the forthcoming budget in October, I wonder how many of your readers are aware of the discrimination in inheritance tax law that affects single and childless citizens in Ireland and of the urgent need for immediate reform.
While spouses and civil partners are entirely exempt (between each other) and children, most of whom are adults in their 40s and 50s, can inherit €400,000 tax free, relatives are taxed at 33 per cent on all assets (including the home) above €40,000 and single people above €20,000.
This is blatant discrimination, unjust and contrary to the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.
The tax is based on marriage, which is no longer sustainable as divorce is now also enshrined in the Constitution and has created a tiered system based on status, with spouses and adult children the elites.
RM Block
The solution is simple – scrap the tax altogether. It yields a minuscule 1 per cent of the total tax intake to the exchequer. Maybe replace it with a gambling windfall tax.
Failing that, make the home exempt for everybody (allowing each beneficiary to inherit just one home untaxed) and levy a 10 per cent tax on all other assets for everybody over whatever threshold the Revenue would require to absorb any loss. Easy to administer and, above all, fair.
Justice and equality are the linchpins of a democracy. You cannot be a little bit equal in the same way that you cannot be a little bit pregnant and we must be grateful that we still live in a democracy.
May I suggest your readers approach the legislators, their TDs, and encourage them to ensure this discrimination and injustice can no longer prevail.
Inheritance tax law in Ireland must be urgently reformed for the betterment of all our citizens – not just the few. – Yours, etc,
DEIRDRE QUINN,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
A car-free day every Sunday
Sir, – To mark the 25th anniversary of Car Free Day, 25 Dublin streets will be closed to traffic on Sunday, September 21st, between 1pm and 4pm.
This welcome initiative will create safer, more welcoming environments for people, especially children, to play and enjoy their city.
But such an event should not be a once-off, never to be seen again until the next anniversary. It should happen every Sunday, and not just on 25 streets but across the city.
If Dublin is serious about promoting sustainable, community-oriented urban spaces, this is the kind of action required.
We should be embarrassed that Dubliners, and in particular Dublin’s children, are given the chance to enjoy their streets safely only for one day this year.
The streets should belong to the people. Every day of the year, not cars. – Yours, etc,
DR OLA LØKKEN NORDRUM,
Beggars Bush,
Dublin 4.
A sporting suggestion
Sir, – If our Government is eager to give RTÉ €725 million to survive then they should be morally obligated to make an initial investment of €500 million into soccer, one of the most popular sports in Ireland.
It’s been a depressing time for supporters of Irish football over the past week or so, and we really need a short- term plan to maximise results for Ireland’s men’s national team and a long-term plan to produce world-class players on a regular basis.
We have plenty of really good people involved in football, plus the knowledge throughout Ireland to set up an expert group to help create an ambitious and innovative plan.
In Galway alone we have the new director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing in University of Galway, Des Ryan, who has worked in the Arsenal Academy for years and also with Brentford FC, and we have the manager of Galway United’s Academy, Sean Kimberly, with his wealth of footballing knowledge, among many others.
We really need to take drastic measures if we want to rekindle the memories of Euro 88, Italia 90 and USA 94 for future generations, and significant monetary investment along with the creation of a nationwide expert group to help create a long-term masterplan would signal a proper start to no doubt a very long journey. – Yours, etc,
JASON POWER,
Salthill,
Co Galway.
Outfoxed
Sir, – I look forward to my morning delivery of The Irish Times. The delivery people never fail.
However, lately I am having problems with foxes getting to the paper before me.
They either scatter it around or carry it away in the garden and hide it.
Can foxes read? If not, what are they doing with my newspaper? It needs to stop! – Yours, etc,
LAURA O’MARA,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.
RTÉ and Eurovision
Sir, – Congratulations to director-general Kevin Bakhurst and the team at RTÉ for their brave decision to pull out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to participate. At last some strong and independent leadership.
Let’s hope that the broadcasting authorities in other countries follow suit, and let’s further hope that our Government, and other governments, learn what leadership looks like from this courageous decision by RTÉ. – Yours, etc,
GARY DOYLE,
Straffan,
Co Kildare.
Ireland and security
Sir, – Recently the former secretary general of Nato, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, reminded us that the Russian state and its war machine are still being funded by purchases of Russian oil and gas by the western world.
He urged that this be stopped immediately.
There was much ballyhoo over a gas storage terminal here in Ireland. We need this because we are non-compliant with EU emergency gas supply standards.
In an effort to be the “best boy in the class”, Ireland made the bewildering decision to halt any future oil and gas exploration.
By contrast, the current UK government will now permit drilling at two North Sea oilfields.
The UK opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch, has pledged to remove all restrictions on oil and gas exploration.
This is a pragmatic decision in an ever-changing world. The West is likely to face increasingly hostile measures from Russia including but not limited to sabotage of communications infrastructure, cyber-attacks, GPS blocking, etc, etc.
We need to urgently rethink our energy policy and, in particular, energy security. – Yours, etc,
DANIEL SMITH,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin
A chilling effect
Sir, – Ten years ago, after a wave of terrorist attacks in Paris, The Irish Times joined the world in proclaiming “Je Suis Charlie”.
In a defence of what he called the “right to offend”, your correspondent, Patrick Smyth, warned that the murders might have a chilling effect on journalists and artists. How right he was.
In the interval, governments, academics and media embraced various forms of censorship: no platforming, trigger warnings and shadow bans. This coddling nurtured a thin-skinned generation who view debate itself as dangerous.
In the same month that an Irish comedian was arrested in Britain for speaking his mind, the conservative pundit Charlie Kirk has just been murdered in America for exercising that “right to offend”.
Once more with feeling: Je Suis Charlie. – Yours, etc,
AIDAN HARTE,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
Taking exception
Sir, – I write with regard to the item on Tyrrell Hatton in the Sports section (“Tyrrell Hatton reveals waking in pool of vomit after making Ryder Cup team,” September 10th).
It has nothing to do with golf or any other sport.
No reader is interested in the post- game celebrations which lead to the details of vomiting over a hotel bed by an elite sportsperson.
The description covered more than half the article and is disturbing reading for sports fans of any age, especially younger people.
I have never read anything like it in any quality paper and I trust it will be the last of its type in your otherwise very informative journal. – Yours, etc,
IAIN KENNEDY,
Enniskillen.
Theatre texters
Sir, – The recent letters regarding ushers not policing the bad behaviour of patrons in theatres reminded me of my experience many years ago when my pal Maureen and I went to see Rock around the Clock in the Carlton cinema.
The movie broke attendance records at the time, and in a vain attempt to keep us under control, we were stopped by a red-faced doorman who warned us: “no screamin’, no singin’ and no dancin ’, youse two”.
Megaphone diplomacy worked then so could it work on the mobile phone offenders. – Yours, etc,
VAL FITZPATRICK,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – Recent letters have highlighted disrespectful activity in theatres with regards to mobile phone use. What is striking though is no one seems to want to call out the offenders in real time.
This happens in cinemas from time to time also. But I have absolutely no problem calling out the offending person to put their phone away if it is distracting me.
And it always works if done with a please and thank you.
As my mother used to say “a dumb priest never got a parish”. Speak up for crying out loud and spare us the descriptive theatrics. – Yours, etc,
TOM McELLIGOTT,
Listowel,
Co Kerry.
Lost in a forest?
Sir, – I have belatedly discovered that the year 2011 was designated the International Year of Forests by the United Nations General Assembly.
How lovely to hear about this but now, in 2025, it would be good to know if it is really producing an interested and widespread response in Ireland.
As well as large-scale planting of forestry, we should remember that there will always be a tree suitable for every size and shape of garden.
I think it would be lovely to try to encourage children, however young, to choose a young tree, plant it themselves, and watch it growing; they do grow remarkably quickly. – Yours, etc,
DR ANNE BAILY,
Carrick- on-Suir,
Co Tipperary.
