FG proposal to scrap tourist tax

[Supermanpolitician]

FG have proposed to get rid of the ridiculous tourist tax.

It has not stopped Irish people from taking unnecessary trips abroad as was intended. Infact it has lead to even harsher times with many airlines reducing their flights (and thus tourists) into Ireland and redeploying planes elsewhere.

About time this ridiculousness was brought to an end.

[arcadeparade]

Airlines should be taxed more, not less.

How is it fair that motorists pay a carbon tax on petrol and diesel, but airlines have a carbon tax on fuel of zero?

In fact, did you know that airlines pay no tax on fuel AT ALL?

And even if we wanted to start taxing airlines more, we couldnt because of international regualtions, airlines are above the law of any individual nation.

This is an absolute scandal, especially when so much damage is being done to the environment with climate change caused by emissions, never mind having such a regressive system of taxation where us average joe soaps have to pay a fortune on transport while the better off who fly around on business trips and foreign holidays etc get to do so at our expense.

Theres a reason why companies like Ryanair get to fly people around so cheaply, its because they are heavily subsidised by taxpayers, through government investment in the airline industry, airports, and regressive taxes on fuel, among other things.

[Supermanpolitician]

Airlines should be taxed more, not less.

How is it fair that motorists pay a carbon tax on petrol and diesel, but airlines have a carbon tax on fuel of zero?

In fact, did you know that airlines pay no tax on fuel AT ALL?

And even if we wanted to start taxing airlines more, we couldnt because of international regualtions, airlines are above the law of any individual nation.

This is an absolute scandal, especially when so much damage is being done to the environment with climate change caused by emissions, never mind having such a regressive system of taxation where us average joe soaps have to pay a fortune on transport while the better off who fly around on business trips and foreign holidays etc get to do so at our expense.

Theres a reason why companies like Ryanair get to fly people around so cheaply, its because they are heavily subsidised by taxpayers, through government investment in the airline industry, airports, and regressive taxes on fuel, among other things.

And in your response you have not made one single reference to helping the tourist industry in Ireland. You make my point for me.

[arcadeparade]

And in your response you have not made one single reference to helping the tourist industry in Ireland. You make my point for me.

There are plenty of ways to subsidise the tourist industry, but scrapping a necessay tax is short sighted.

You say it's a "tourist tax", but you know perfectly well it taxes all people who take flights, not just tourists.

[Supermanpolitician]

There are plenty of ways to subsidise the tourist industry, but scrapping a necessay tax is short sighted.

Visitor numbers to Ireland since the tax was introduced would imply that the tax itself was short sighted.

If you discourage people from coming here (and let's be honest for 99% of tourists the only realistic way is by plane) then you will never get tax out of the tourists who spend in the hotels pubs and restaurants.

[arcadeparade]

Visitor numbers to Ireland since the tax was introduced would imply that the tax itself was short sighted.

I'd say its more to do with the global downturn. The "tourist" tax is tiny.

If you discourage people from coming here (and let's be honest for 99% of tourists the only realistic way is by plane) then you will never get tax out of the tourists who spend in the hotels pubs and restaurants.

Tourism is an important industry, but it wouldnt exist if not for government investment.

The entire airline industry bascially exists because of WW2. The US government spent taxpayer money on the research of this technology, and then when it was made profitable was handed over to private industry so it could profit from it. This continues to this day, and is the reason for the existance of most modern technology.

In Ireland, just look at the amount of money already spent on airports to encourage tourism, its a hell of a lot more than we'll ever get back from a tiny tourist tax.

[Supermanpolitician]

I'd say its more to do with the global downturn. The "tourist" tax is tiny.


Tourism is an important industry, but it wouldnt exist if not for government investment.

The entire airline industry bascially exists because of WW2. The US government spent taxpayer money on the research of this technology, and then when it was made profitable was handed over to private industry so it could profit from it. This continues to this day, and is the reason for the existance of most modern technology.

In Ireland, just look at the amount of money already spent on airports to encourage tourism, its a hell of a lot more than we'll ever get back from a tiny tourist tax.

When has spending on airports encouraged tourism? "We might go to La Rochelle this year. I hear it has a lovely airport". Ridiculous.

Tourist Tax is tiny? I recently booked a flight where the tourist tax was more than 500% of the fare. Imagine you are a company with a client in the UK. You visit the client six times a year. How much extra tax have you paid. How much tax do you pay every time you go to visit a foreign client? How much tax do foreign clients pay when they come to visit you?

Lots of things are as a result of government investment in the past, e.g cordless power tools were designed for NASA. Should we have a separate tax on cordless belt sanders, drills and jigsaws?

[forest]

Good news
Now if you could get rid of the rest of the fecking taxes and charges on traveling
i would support declaring Edna king of ireland
It is ridiculas that a flight to Vienna costs 75€ but taxes and charges cost 125€


Ps why when i go onto the aerlingus site it is the UK version of the site

[PrinceMax]

Is a 10 euro tax stopping anybody from coming to Ireland? I'd doubt it. As much as I dislike having to pay the tax when I travel, it has never discouraged me from traveling so I don't see why it would discourage anyone else. Fine Gael are really scraping the bottom of the barrel if they're getting their ideas off the ryanair website. Ireland isn't the only country in the world with a departure tax.

[Supermanpolitician]

Good news
Now if you good get rid of the rest of the fecking taxes and charges on traveling
i would support declaring Edna king of ireland
It is ridiculas that a flight to Vienna costs 75€ but taxes and charges cost 125€


Ps why when i go onto the aerlingus site it is the UK version of the site

Taxes and charges are ridiculous. Friends recently flew from London to Belfast and back for the day for 0.01 each. The bus fare in London cost them more. He is from Dublin and they would have flown here to see family but why pay the extra?