Charity VAT - Greedy tax should be abolished

IT is outrageous that a government which regularly leaves voluntary organisations to fill the void in vital areas of Irish life is clawing back millions of euro from charities in VAT.

Incredibly, around €36 million annually donated to charities by the public ends up in Exchequer coffers.

Illustrating this bizarre scenario, the Irish Cancer Society forked out €300,000 in VAT last year, a sum that would run its entire cancer information service for a year, or provide eight oncology liaison nurses. Similarly, Concern, the international aid group, has to pay out nearly €1.5 million in VAT.

This money should be used to help the sick, poor and needy. For a government with billions in tax revenue at its disposal to claw back money from charities in VAT is utterly unconscionable. Finance Minister Brian Cowen should abolish this greedy practice.