Hi folks, Sorry about the delay but i spent a lot of time making halloween jelly and trying to explain to a five year old why you cant chew soup !!! Anyway, heres a suggested letter to go to Minister Noonan tomorrow. It might be good to send a copy to some of the opposition Deputies also incase it gives them some further ammunition in the Dail debate. Dear Minister, As you are no doubt aware, your recent proposal to remove the single parent family from secondary parents, continues to cause much concern amongst separated parents. I am totally and utterly opposed to this measure on a number of grounds. I have sent you numerous emails on this issue since the budgetary announcement and have yet to receive a response to any of the questions I have raised. To this end, I am sending you this email to clearly outline my concerns. I hope that you may take the opportunity to address some of these issues and clarify some questions. In the first instance, I note that the proposal was informed by the Commission on Taxation report of 2009. I have studied the report in depth and note the recommendation. I also note that the commission recommended the modification of the current credit on a cost/benefit basis. There is no mention in the report of any such analysis, how it was framed or what it measured. I have recently written to your department seeking this information and am awaiting a response. Could you enlighten me as to the nature of the analysis carried out and, perhaps provide me with the pertinent information. In the second instance, I note that the commission recommends that direct state support is preferable to tax expenditure measures where public policy goals exist. I further note that the report is forthright in its assertion that the family unit is one of the cornerstones of an equitable and efficient tax system. With this in mind, as separated families are indeed families, and as you are removing a key tax expenditure, could you advise as to the state supports you intend to put into place to replace this. In the third instance, I note that the same report also recommended the taxation of child benefit. Could you explain why this recommendation was ignored in favour of the modification of the single parent tax credit. The former has a significantly higher cost to the state than the latter, yet the benefit is the same - the support of our children. In the fourth instance, as the Commissions report is supportive of the aims of the expenditure (spring workforce participation and assisting with the costs of raising children) could you explain why you feel it is just to remove this support from the secondary parent who, after all, is also supporting and raising a child whilst participating in the workforce. Bearing the above in mind Minister, I am concerned that no accurate assessment of the social benefit of the credit was actually carried out. I am concerned that other recommendations were ignored despite having higher costs. I am concerned that the State is happy to classify one half of the parental unit as being secondary in the absence of any quantitative assessment of the extent to which they participate in the family. I am also concerned, Minister, that there is no recognition being granted to separated parents who are not in receipt of Child Benefit but who contribute hugely and willingly to the financial and emotional support of their children. I put it to you Minister, that what in fact happened, is that you saw the credit as being the second biggest child tax expenditure cost. You also believed that it would be easier to amend this prooosal than to tax the child benefit payment and you simply chose the route of least resistance. I resent this approach entirely Minister as it removes state recognition of the work that I do inside and outside of the family home. I resent the fact that no value was attached to the role of secondary carers in the state, that our economic contribution to the welfare of our children is not deemed worthy of fiscal support and that our social contribution is only deemed worthy of the term secondary carer. I am not, as an individual,nor as a parent, willing to stand idly by to watch my ability to provide for my children be taken from me by what, absent proof to the contrary, appears to be a lazy attempt to cut deadweight from a budget. I am not deadweight Minister. I am a parent, a provider, a nurturer, educator, counsellor, confidante and an active contributor to this economy. I give willingly and I ask respect in return. I hope that you will have enough respect for me to respond to this email and I look forward to you sending on the information requested above. Regards,
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 02:26:38 +0000
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