Hot damn... that's a high taxation %, but if I could get citizenship and already had a decent job lined up, it sounds like Ireland would be pretty cool.CameronPoe wrote:
Universal free healthcare; free first, second & third level education (no fees); grants for low income families sending kids to third level institutions; child benefit cheques; family allowance cheques; free dental care for low income families; unemployment benefits; state pension; free public transport for the elderly; etc., etc.Turquoise wrote:
Ouch... That's pretty hardcore, but you do have better social programs in Ireland, right?CameronPoe wrote:
On a pure percentage of gross basis I pay the Irish exchequer about 27.4% of my income.
We pay 21% Value Added Tax (VAT) also on all goods and services (kind of like sales tax in the US I think).
I forgot to mention that there are many tax relief schemes in operation. For instance if you pay medical insurance you get a rebate, if you pay for prescription drugs you get a rebate, if you pay for a mortgage or if you rent you can get tax credits, if you need a guide dog you get an allowance, if you are blind you get a tax credit, if you are a home carer (i.e. you care for a permanently incapacitated relative, etc.) you get tax relief, you get relief if you pay money into a retirement fund, you get relief if you submit money to registered charities, etc.Turquoise wrote:
Hot damn... that's a high taxation %, but if I could get citizenship and already had a decent job lined up, it sounds like Ireland would be pretty cool.CameronPoe wrote:
Universal free healthcare; free first, second & third level education (no fees); grants for low income families sending kids to third level institutions; child benefit cheques; family allowance cheques; free dental care for low income families; unemployment benefits; state pension; free public transport for the elderly; etc., etc.Turquoise wrote:
Ouch... That's pretty hardcore, but you do have better social programs in Ireland, right?
We pay 21% Value Added Tax (VAT) also on all goods and services (kind of like sales tax in the US I think).
The corporate tax rate in Ireland incidentally is 14% and large grants are regularly thrown at international investors to incentivise them setting up shop here.
Lemme guess... Citizenship rules are pretty strict for people outside of the EU wanting to immigrate to Ireland, eh?
We were getting inundated with boats and planes full of pregnant Romanians and Nigerians but a consitutional amendment passed a year or two ago now means that simply being born in Ireland doesn't guarantee citizenship.Turquoise wrote:
Lemme guess... Citizenship rules are pretty strict for people outside of the EU wanting to immigrate to Ireland, eh?
We need to do that too, because of certain Mexicans.CameronPoe wrote:
We were getting inundated with boats and planes full of pregnant Romanians and Nigerians but a consitutional amendment passed a year or two ago now means that simply being born in Ireland doesn't guarantee citizenship.Turquoise wrote:
Lemme guess... Citizenship rules are pretty strict for people outside of the EU wanting to immigrate to Ireland, eh?
Regardless, the only way I could feasibly afford a 21% sales tax would involve having a decent paying job in Ireland. I imagine starting out over there must be somewhat difficult.
Depends on whether you're skilled or not. My gf is from Canada and she is doing well for herself now here, two years in, in the PR field. Some people do struggle but Ireland has the most dynamic economy in the whole of Europe so anything is possible if you try your best. We now have 300,000 Polish people living and work here for instance. Dublin is one of the most expensive cities in the world now as a consequence of our economic success but we get paid commensurately (2nd highest GDP per capita in the world). When I was in Hong Kong last year I was expecting horror prices from what all the guidebooks told me but when you live in Dublin, everywhere is cheap (except for fucking Oslo!!!!!!!!!!!!!).Turquoise wrote:
We need to do that too, because of certain Mexicans.
Regardless, the only way I could feasibly afford a 21% sales tax would involve having a decent paying job in Ireland. I imagine starting out over there must be somewhat difficult.
I am. IBM shouldn't get any more breaks than I do...Turquoise wrote:
Actually, this demonstrates an excellent point. As a small business owner, you don't get anywhere near the tax cuts that corporations do.Dersmikner wrote:
3. Recipient of socialist benefits as a small business owner? Are you shitting me? What alleged tax breaks are we talking about here?
If anything, the American tax system subsidizes big business more than anyone else. So if you don't like handouts, then you should be outraged at corporate pork and corporate tax deductions far more than any welfare programs.
I'm glad we can agree on that. I know we radically differ on aid to the poor, but I think we can also agree that small business owners need more breaks.Dersmikner wrote:
I am. IBM shouldn't get any more breaks than I do...Turquoise wrote:
Actually, this demonstrates an excellent point. As a small business owner, you don't get anywhere near the tax cuts that corporations do.Dersmikner wrote:
3. Recipient of socialist benefits as a small business owner? Are you shitting me? What alleged tax breaks are we talking about here?
If anything, the American tax system subsidizes big business more than anyone else. So if you don't like handouts, then you should be outraged at corporate pork and corporate tax deductions far more than any welfare programs.
I wish there was some candidate out there that would end all this pork spending and corporate breaks and just replaced them with more deductions for small businesses. Any candidate willing to stand up for the small business owner against big business would surely get the moderate middle votes.
Of course, a candidate like that probably wouldn't be able to raise enough funds to run for president (or even the Senate for that matter).
LOL.... Well, if I ever move to Ireland, I'll probably aim for Cork.CameronPoe wrote:
Depends on whether you're skilled or not. My gf is from Canada and she is doing well for herself now here, two years in, in the PR field. Some people do struggle but Ireland has the most dynamic economy in the whole of Europe so anything is possible if you try your best. We now have 300,000 Polish people living and work here for instance. Dublin is one of the most expensive cities in the world now as a consequence of our economic success but we get paid commensurately (2nd highest GDP per capita in the world). When I was in Hong Kong last year I was expecting horror prices from what all the guidebooks told me but when you live in Dublin, everywhere is cheap (except for fucking Oslo!!!!!!!!!!!!!).Turquoise wrote:
We need to do that too, because of certain Mexicans.
Regardless, the only way I could feasibly afford a 21% sales tax would involve having a decent paying job in Ireland. I imagine starting out over there must be somewhat difficult.
Nice. If the US had something like that, it might stem the tide of illegals we have coming in. Of course, since it is a mainstay of the American belief structure, I doubt it would change.CameronPoe wrote:
We were getting inundated with boats and planes full of pregnant Romanians and Nigerians but a consitutional amendment passed a year or two ago now means that simply being born in Ireland doesn't guarantee citizenship.Turquoise wrote:
Lemme guess... Citizenship rules are pretty strict for people outside of the EU wanting to immigrate to Ireland, eh?
lol. north america needs immigrants fast. especially those with PhDs. But for chrissake, get them out of their bloody cabs!! and then we complain of a doctor shortage! Fine idiots our government are.
I like pie.