Section 23 relief is unfair and damaging

AS unpalatable and as unpopular as it may seem; Budget 2011’s position on Section 23 relief is wholly unfair and damaging in the long run.

If citizens and companies are unable to make medium to long term plans on the reasonable and legitimate expectations that the terms into which they enter an initiative are to remain — those terms being the incentivising factor, endorsed and promoted as a matter of economic and social policy — what confidence does it give them to engage with subsequent schemes?

Understandably there are huge swathes of our society that have seriously been hurt. No doubt, there remain few of our friends, neighbours and family that have not been touched by the collapse of our economy.

However, equally it is without argument that establishing a precedent where government policy can be changed so drastically and without discussion is dangerous, irresponsible and populist.

If I were a company coming in from abroad, what would I think?

Cormac O’Culain

Christchurch

Dublin 8