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Eamon Gilmore Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Tánaiste: Taxation is not the reason for emigration 'brain drain'

Eamon Gilmore was responding to comments by Leo Varadkar that it is not normal for people in other countries on “pretty modest incomes” to hit the highest rate of tax.

TÁNAISTE EAMON GILMORE has rejected claims that Ireland’s tax regime is the reason for the so-called ‘brain drain’ where people with third-level qualifications are leaving the country for better jobs.

Speaking in Dublin this morning, Gilmore said that a distinction needed to be drawn between people who leave Ireland for work purposes and those who leave because they can’t find a job.

A study by UCC last week found that almost half of people leaving country had jobs when they emigrated, a finding that surprised many.

The Tánaiste accepted there are cases where people are leaving for a better job: “I mean this is part of the world in which we live in, people do move around from country-to-country for job purposes.

“The people I am really concerned with are people who leave the country for work purposes, because they can’t get work here and that’s why our focus is the creation of jobs here.”

He rejected claims from one Fine Gael minister over the weekend that Ireland’s income tax rates as well as other tax measures such as Universal Social Charge are the reason for the so-called ‘brain drain’.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar suggested in an interview published in the Irish Independent this morning that third-level educated workers are leaving Ireland for countries with “higher pay and lower taxes”.

Quoted on Newstalk, Varadkar said people on “pretty modest incomes” of around €35,000 hit the highest rate of tax – 52 per cent – which is “not normal in most countries”.

But Gilmore said: “Taxation isn’t the issue in relation to emigration. I think the issue in relation to emigration is much, in my view, more about the availability of work here rather than the issue of taxation.”

Minister: Of course I’m worried about the emigration ‘brain drain’

Read: Big study finds 1 in 4 rural households have had someone emigrate

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69 Comments
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    Mute plato
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    Aug 27th 2012, 1:54 PM

    79% say it unacceptable to give a mobile phone to people under 18 ?? Am I reading that right? Almost every teenager I know has a mobile phone.

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    Mute plato
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    Aug 27th 2012, 1:55 PM

    Oops that was 8 not 18.. Knew I hadn’t read it correctly.. D’oh !!

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Aug 27th 2012, 2:02 PM

    8? Seriously what does an 8 year old child need a mobile for?

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    Mute Thomas M Bourke
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    Aug 28th 2012, 9:47 AM

    In my daughter’s class (9/10 year olds) last year there were a few who had cellphones

    I remember having change for the callbox at the school…

    needless to say, while she may have a kindle to read books on, she does *not* have a cellphone!

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    Mute fitszenpatrik
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    Aug 27th 2012, 3:34 PM

    Technology certainly divides our household.
    Since we got an electric fence down the middle of our living room the rows have reduced greatly.

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    Mute Niamh
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    Aug 27th 2012, 4:26 PM

    That was really funny!! :-D

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    Mute Thomas M Bourke
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    Aug 28th 2012, 9:48 AM

    ours is made of lego… thing is my daughter designed the fence and now cannot go to the toilet without causing a row as she crosses her own fence!

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    Mute John Quill
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    Aug 27th 2012, 1:38 PM

    OMG, totes maze LOL! LMAO!

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Aug 27th 2012, 5:13 PM

    Lol to fitsen.. :D

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    Mute BlackQueen
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    Aug 28th 2012, 7:14 AM

    So tired of seeing ipad instead of tablet device. Even psychologists aren’t immune from fruit control!

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