Joe Behan - Independent Councillor - Wicklow County Council


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Banana Republic of Apple

Archive Statements > 2017 - July-December

The Banana Republic of Apple
5th October 2017

The EU Court action against our Government because they won’t take the €13 billion Apple owes us proves how craven this Government is in its dealing with Apple and other multi nationals. In this decade of centenaries, when we celebrate our alleged independence we can see that in fact we have gained a new overlord and he is Tim Allen, the Apple CEO.

We are truly a banana republic when we allow a hugely wealthy corporation to delay their payment of a debt of €13 billion for almost 14 months. The ordinary tax payers of this country are not allowed to delay their tax payments and are punished severely if they default in any way. However, in this republic, the bigger the company the more leeway they get. This is absolutely unjust and enrages many tax compliant small business people who create the vast majority of jobs in this country.

The most disgraceful aspect of this issue is the fact that we need this money and we need it now. We need to build tens of thousands of social and affordable homes. We need to build new schools, hospitals and recreational facilities. We need improved road and rail infrastructure and we are failing miserably in the provision of high speed broadband throughout the country. There are many women in this country who worked in their early years and paid social insurance stamps but have been refused pensions. We owe these women back payments and weekly pension payments from now on and yet the banana republic Ministers tell us they haven’t got the funds to pay these women what they are entitled to. We owe people with disabilities so much more than they currently receive and yet again we are told the cupboard is bare. The list goes on and on but in the Budget next week we will be told there is not enough money to meet all demands on the exchequer. However, the €13 billion back tax from Apple is not needed at all.

The people of Ireland need and deserve a Government which acts every day for the ordinary people rather than the elite multi- national corporations and multimillionaires. Some day we might get such a Government. We live in hope!

Cllr. Joe Behan

Independent



Serving the people of County Wicklow since 1985 | joebehan@outlook.ie

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