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JUSTICE MINISTER ALAN Shatter has said that he is to revisit the provisions of a privacy bill that was first introduced six years ago in the wake of the Irish Daily Star’s publication of topless photos of Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge.
In a statement issued this evening, Shatter has criticised the decision of the paper to publish the photos of Kate as it did last weekend and has said that balanced privacy legislation is now needed.
The publication of the photos has caused a furore in recent days with the British co-owner of the paper threatening to move to shut it down, a decision that the Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte earlier described as “nonsense”.
This evening Shatter said that despite the existence of the Press Council, “it is clear that some sections of the print media are either unable or unwilling in their reportage to distinguish between ‘prurient interest’ and ‘the public interest’”.
Shatter said that there appeared to be “no value of any nature” attached to an individual’s right to privacy as recognised by both the Irish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.
“It is perceived financial gain as opposed to any principled freedom of expression that for some is the dominant value. The publication by the Irish Daily Star in Ireland of topless photographs of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is a clear illustration of this,” he said.
“It is clear that sections of the print media believe that public figures are fair game and have no right to privacy in respect of any aspect of their lives.”
He said that he now intended to revisit the provisions of the Privacy Bill 2006 that was first published by the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrat coalition six years ago and which was substantially reproduced by Senator David Norris in the Seanad last March.
The bill was described at the time as “premature” by Shatter but he said today that he would now consider “what changes should be made to it in the context of developments that have taken place since its first publication and to then progress its enactment”.
Shatter said that there needed to be a balance struck in any legislation between not inhibiting “proper investigate journalism” and “flagrant violation of an individual’s right to privacy”.
He added: “What is needed is balanced legislation that does nothing to inhibit proper investigative journalism, the reporting of news and the expression of opinion on issues of genuine public interest in a manner that respects the ethos and values of a constitutional democracy but which also prevents the abuse of an individual’s human rights and flagrant violation of an individual’s right to privacy.”
Abolish the LPT occupied home tax and implement the law taxing over 183,000 vacant homes. https://www.money.co.uk/mortgages/empty-homes
@Sean Byrne: as you have linked to a UK site is the law you refer too applicable to the UK or Ireland?
@D. Memery: Maybe you should actually read the article first? It’s quite interesting in fairness.
@D. Memery: Ireland; There is a Vacancy Tax under the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act, 2015. Under this Act, from 1 January 2017 each local authority is obliged to introduce a vacant site register. With impunity, many councils refuse to comply with this law. As an example, reported in the 2016 census, County Galway had 10’279 vacant properties. The link at the bottom of this page; http://www.galway.ie/en/services/planning/planspolicy/vacantsites/ points to; http://www.galway.ie/en/media/Vacant%20Sites%20Template.docx, which is an empty template document and not a vacant register.
@Lee King Buckett: I did, but the article doesn’t make any mention of a vacant property tax, hence why I asked as a follow on to the link. Did you read the article?
@Sean Byrne: thanks
@D. Memery: Yes I did – it’s a source for the 183,000 vacant properties the OP referred to.
There’s no mention of any tax whatsoever in there nor did the OP mention any law at all so your comment confused me.
@Sean Byrne:
Revenue are guilty of maladministration by their coercing people to pay this despicable tax on their family homes which is contrary to all Canons of Taxation.
Revenue don’t collect taxes on other basic needs like : food, water, medicines, education, healthcare, clothes etc .. so why tax shelter (family homes) … a basic human need, essential to life.
Macron has just removed Tax Habitation on homes in France …
The Irish need to wake up …
https://www.change.org/p/abolish-property-tax-on-family-homes
Time to get rid of this silly recession-era tax. Fine Gael lied back in 2011 before they got into power saying they wouldn’t bring in property tax and as soon as they had a nice juicy five year mandate they brought it in anyway.
The entire ‘local’ thing is just propaganda, money goes to a central pot to pay for Zappone parties and national debt
@Quiet Goer: Most countries have a similar tax. Lived in France for years and paid two different property/local taxes.
@lelookcoco: Most counties provide services for the taxes that are collected. We pay again privately for our services here. You’re comparing apples and oranges.
@lelookcoco: and it covers bins and other services for the property
@Declan Doherty: All taxes pay for services. That’s how state finances work.
@Jason Walsh: Ask our UK neigbours how much they’re paying. Our LPT and bin charges come nowhere near their council tax and they get billed for water too.
@Reg: It’s okay to get billed for water, when there is a supply with clean water you can drink from the tap and accurate waste water treatment.
@Claudia Varell: I’m not against the principle of water charges Claudia, simply pointing out the difference in household charges between the UK and Ireland.
If 70% have yet to file for it, this looks like it could become another Water Tax. I hope it does.
@Zack Twamley: Or the age old habit of leaving things to the last minute. The vast majority already pay their LPT.
@Zack Twamley: If it does it’ll have to be replaced with a different tax
“It is morally wrong, unjust and unfair to tax a persons home” – Enda Kenny, 1994
This tax on family homes should never have been accepted. The only reason FG got away with it was because they got revenue to do their dirty work.
@Declan Doherty: Surely Revenue collecting taxes is their job?
@Declan Doherty: Agree.
—– RURAL HOME OWNERS —–
What Rural Home Owners get for their LPT Property Tax
No Mains Water
No Public Sewage system
No Street Lighting
No Footpaths
No Cycle Lanes
No Buses
No DART
No Luas
No Public Parks
No Subsidised Theatres
https://www.change.org/p/abolish-property-tax-on-family-homes
if You sign the petition an email is sent to Michael Martin …
@Thomas O’ Donnell:
Revenue don’t collect taxes on other basic needs like : food, water, medicines, education, healthcare, clothes etc .. so why tax shelter (family homes) … a basic human need, essential to life. Revenue are guilty of maladministration by their coercing people to pay this despicable tax on their family homes which is contrary to all Canons of Taxation.
Macron has just removed Tax Habitation on homes in France …
The Irish need to wake up …
https://www.change.org/p/abolish-property-tax-on-family-homes
Rang helpline today on 4 occasions told they were busy and ring back latet
The self assessment element of filing is difficult for people.This causes reluctance .
@Leonard O’mahony: yep. My dad is 80 and this is actually worrying him, even with me doing it. He’s convinced that if he doesn’t pay enough his house will be taken. He’s band 5 and he wanted to pay band 6 just to be safe. It’s a horrible tax. It’s practically two weeks off his pension.
@Jason Ebbs: My dad was the same. I had everything filled out he wanted to change it to higher band saying it’s better they owe him than him underpaying.
@Leonard O’mahony: There is a bit of a nuisance factor to it. They should have tied it in with An Post to allow people who don’t have a computer to take away a simple form with a free post envelope to return.
Even if they were worried about doing a bit of work, they could have posted a simple card out to each eircode with a punch hole system and a signature. They could have put the cards through a machine for tallying the bands against the eircodes with the signature checked if someone complains. (and this governmental big data trend is a disgrace, it’ll be a drop of blood for the DNA in twenty years time)
@Jason Ebbs:
Macron has just removed Tax Habitation on homes in France …
The Irish need to wake up …
https://www.change.org/p/abolish-property-tax-on-family-homes
Rang helpline today on 4 occasions told they were busy and ring back later
@Tony Mcgrath: 8 times?
Endentured slave tax to the grave
Why would anyone voluntary register for this ridiculous tax.
@Philip Cullen: https://www.change.org/p/abolish-property-tax-on-family-homes
have your say