People Before Profit Dublin European Candidate Calls For Phil Hogan To Reveal How Much Tax He Is Paying

EU officials are not subject to national income tax rates but avail of a special lower EU rate of taxation.

In a statement, Gillian Brien, the People Before Profit candidate for Dublin in the upcoming European elections, condemned this practice and demanded that they pay tax at the rate of their country of origin.

She said:

“The EU Commissioner Phil Hogan receives a salary of €22,000 a month, plus a host of expenses, including a special entertainment expense.

“But few people are aware that neither he nor other Irish officials who work for EU institutions pay the Irish national rate of tax of 20% or 40%. Instead they pay a special EU community tax which can be as low as 8% but probably averages 17%.

“In the case of the EU Commissioners, however, I can find no data on the tax rate they are subject to.

“As the EU constantly talks about transparency, it is the duty of a commissioner who was nominated by the Irish government to declare his tax rate.

“More broadly, however, we have to end this anachronistic practice whereby those who work for the EU are somehow treated as if they were part of the diplomatic service and are not subject to local taxes.

“The pay rate of  EU Commissioners  should be cut to a level that most people have to live on – and they also should pay the same taxes as the rest of us.

“That way when it comes to imposing austerity on the people of Europe, they will at least know how it feels.”