|
Reduced rate of VAT for cruel greyhound industry
06 December 2017
Those involved in the cruel greyhound industry are enjoying a reduced rate of VAT for dog food, it has emerged. While the general public forks out the standard tax rate of 23% for dog food, greyhound racers and hare coursers are being asked to pay a "reduced rate" of just 13.5%.
According to the Revenue website, if dog food is "packaged, advertised or held out for sale solely as greyhound feeding stuff and supplied in units of not less than 10 kilograms", the reduced rate applied.
Meanwhile, food for others dogs and for "cats, caged birds or domestic pets" attracts the higher 23% VAT rate.
This is another disgusting example of the Irish Government subsidising the greyhound industry.
Since 2001, it has handed over nearly a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money to the industry, including €16 million for 2017. Greyhound tracks have also enjoyed interest-free loans and "operational grants" from the taxpayer-funded Irish Greyhound Board. Earlier this year, the government agreed to pay 23 million euro for the closed-down Harold's Cross greyhound stadium, despite its actual worth believed to be around €9 million. At a meeting of the Dail Public Accounts Committee in May, Fianna Fail politician and qualified auctioneer, Marc MacSharry TD, said €23 million appeared to be "a multiple" of what the site was worth.
ACTION ALERT
Don't attend greyhound races or community fund-raisers held at greyhound tracks (these are a significant source of funding for the greyhound industry).
This month, TDs will have an opportunity to vote on the payment of another €16 million grant to the greyhound industry, via the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2017. It is vital that you contact your local TDs and demand that they vote against it. Find TD contact details at http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=32&disp=mem
Urge Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to end funding to the greyhound industry.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie
Tweet to: @campaignforLeo
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/campaignforleo/
Paschal Donohoe TD
Minister for Finance
Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, minister@per.gov.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1 6045810
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaschalDonohoe/
Tweet to @Paschald
Please sign and share our petition
Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Industry
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-industry
Make a donation to ICABS
Please consider making a donation to ICABS. For more details, please click on the button below or follow this link to find out how to become a campaign supporter. Thank you.
