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1 October 1998 Edition

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Keep your word

The Good Friday Agreement came into existence after a long and difficult process of negotiation. No-one got exactly what they wanted - that is the nature of negotiations. But what emerged was a final product; the Agreement was finalised on 10 April and could not be re-negotiated.

Furthermore, all those who backed the Agreement did so on the understanding that it was the only show in town. Their commitment was to implement it in all its elements. By doing so they were acknowledging that it was the only path out of conflict.

Sinn Féin entered into the process in good faith and - after an intense and thorough debate - the party gave its backing to the Agreement. In good faith.

Others must now act in good faith. There is a firm deadline for the setting up of the institutions outlined in the Agreement. That deadline is 31 October. Those who signed up to the Agreement must now move to set up those institutions. They must keep their word.

Taxing issues



Tax burdens, tax defaulters, tax credits, tax rates, tax cuts, tax harmonisation, tax evasion, tax avoidance - it seems that you cannot open a newspaper or watch a television bulletin in recent weeks without one of these taxing issues being a prominent feature.

One missing ingredient to all of these deliberations is a discussion of tax equity. The simple notion that taxes should be fair and that everyone no matter if they are a business or a worker should all be taxed equitably is ignored. Last year once again business and high income earners scooped the benefits while the low paid were overlooked.

Now we are told that the tax burden in the 26 Counties is one of the lowest among industrialised economies. Yet again we have another sleight of hand because this statistic fails to take into account the untaxed billions of punts sucked out of the economy by multinationals and others every year. In 1997 this siphoning off of resources totalled over £9.7 billion.

So let's have a debate about tax but make it a real one that tackles the equity issue and doesn't play with figures. Economic and social justice must be the objective of any new tax regime.


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