Government under fire as pensioners branded ‘tax cheats’

CALLERS to RTÉ’s Liveline yesterday said the letter warning them of an increased tax liability had frightened the living daylights out of them.

The Government, meanwhile, came under fire for failing to provide pensioners with adequate information on their tax liabilities before letters landed on their doorsteps essentially branding them as “tax cheats”.

Fianna Fáil social protection spokesman Barry Cowen said Finance Minister Michael Noonan should explain when he became aware that 115,000 pensioners owed the Revenue money and why he did not make an effort to explain what was happening before those pensioners received letters from Revenue.