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A BATHING BAN introduced on Friday at Dublin’s Sandymount strand remains in place today.
Dublin City Council said the ban came after heavy rainfall led to sewage washing up on the beaches from the River Liffey.
The temporary bathing ban came into place on Friday evening at Dollymount and Sandymount strands but a spokesperson for DCC confirmed the ban remains in place in Sandymount today.
The spokesperson said: “Following laboratory analysis results for the bathing water sample taken on Friday 9 June, the temporary bathing ban will remain in place for Sandymount Strand.
A further example was taken yesterday and another is due to be taken today, as part of this season’s schedule, with results for both rounds of samples being available on Wednesday 14 June.
Local Green Party representative for Clontarf Donna Cooney said that bathers, the local economy and the local environment will suffer if sewage and drainage systems are not updated in the area.
Sinn Féin councillors have tabled an emergency motion at Dublin City Council, and the matter will be debated this evening.
Councillor Chris Andrews told TheJournal.ie that it was urgent to get to the bottom of the matter quickly.
He said: “We need to find out the precise reasons why this happened, beyond just that issues around rainfall and flooding.
We’re in Ireland. We know it rains a lot. It’s not acceptable that these can be closed.
“We need to get more clarification,” Andrews said. “I’m looking for information on what needs to be done to prevent this from happening again.”
Commenting on the continued ban in Sandymount, the Green Party has called for urgent action to address issues with Dublin’s waste water treatment systems.
Its leader TD Eamon Ryan said: “Water quality failures threaten public health, tourism and the environment. Bathers are at risk of skin irritation and illness if exposed to pollution in these areas.
Tourism is a huge driver of the economy in coastal areas, and must be protected.
The Green Party’s Donna Cooney added: “I, like many Dubs, swim regularly in the sea. Warm weather is set to return on Wednesday, and we fear tourism could be negatively affected by these water quality issues.
Flash flooding is becoming more common and unpredictable as the weather associated with the effects of climate change. Our sewage and drainage systems need to be upgraded extensively to deal with this reality.
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Why are candles that are white and cylindrical zero-VAT? What a strange exclusion.
@Gordon Comstock: exactly – and why are white candles the same price as coloured candles in shops – does this just apply to churches – or are shops overcharging us for white candles
@Gordon Comstock: Its a simple old thing – no VAT on the basic item made from basic stock , but something added Value i.e dye, scent, moulding gets Value Added Tax.. It makes scents (ha!) back in the day, but no TD wants to lose his seat over changing it. Now the crime is, that its actually a subsidty to shopkeepers. I dont think simple white candles are any cheaper than same shape pink scented.
@Gordon Comstock: because household candles were designated as an essential item once upon a time. Coloured ones were considered a luxury. Whether it was also because Churches use them, I’m not so sure.
@Gordon Comstock: Religion is a tax-free business.
The taxman at the end of his whick
@Euro McPúnty: ‘Twas a burning question alright!! The Revenue sniffed something amiss.
If they didn’t charge VAT then they didn’t gain anything and they’ll be down 400k, which i don’t know the ins and outs of candle companies but I imagine it could put them out of business.
@Motherofthree: because they were treating the candles as zero rated they would have been able to claim VAT back on their vatable expenses meaning they would always be in a VAT refund position, so they would have gained something.
@Sam Harms: @Sam Harms: No they wouldn’t. All a vat refund position means is that you spent more vat on purchases than you took in on sales. If your product had a correct zero vat rate then you could always be in a refund position but you never got the sales vat in, so no benefit. Short story is there is no benefit either way on vat, you’re just collecting it for revenue.
@Rmc: you have no idea what you are talking about.
@The Upside-down Triangle: 25 years as an accountant wasted so! If all your sales products were zero rated you’re still allowed claim back the vat on trade purchases.,so you’d get a refund. If they had charged the vat correctly the customers would have paid it and it would have been passed on to revenue. They didn’t so revenue are out of pocket.
@Motherofthree: Very possible that this could result in a business closure. Makes no scents at all. Maybe the High Court will overturn the decision – there could be light at the end of the tunnel yet.
@The Upside-down Triangle: Clear as muck now, figures either way, we’ll never know, the posts will keep moving, I think you nailed it though.
It seemed to me that you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind,
Never bothering about VAT returns
When the sales rolled in.
I woulda liked to know you
But I was just a kid
Your tapered candle burnt out long before
Your repayments ever will…
@Misty Eyed Mutton: very good
Reveune need to lighten up
@Andrew Mc Garry: and you need to learn how to spell !
@Ronan Dunne: flute
Maybe they should appeal to Wax Appeals Commission
@Larry Betts:
That would be an ecumenical matter.
@Larry Betts: You’re beginning to wax lyrical about this.
@Garreth Byrne: it’s a wicked wacky wax tax,whacked on wicked wax.Which they must pay,without delay,in fact for being lax.
Holy smokes!
Since this company collects VAT on behalf of the government, this bill should be paid by the end client, namely, church :D
@Janis Lazdans: you do know this makes zero sense.
If they were quoted €100 for candles…. And they paid €100 for the candles… They can’t go back 4 years later and go oh you owe us another €21 because we forgot to add the vat on.
Now I know your comment was merely because it was the church but your argument was weak a.f.
@Aidan Mitchell:
Janis has a point!
A few mistakes made. Maybe a misunderstanding, given it involved ⛪️- a Charity, doing great work in community – not subject to vat, t/fore not able to claim back any chgd by supplier. There probably was a time, when CC was at peak of its powers in
@Aidan Mitchell: fork handles you say
Were they apple or garlic shaped?
Would it not be an idea to sell cylindrical candles accompanied by a tapering kit similar to a pencil sharpener?
And this is why people regard the Revenue as useless spongers, who tax you at every opportunity and then when you sell your business, that you’ve given years of your life to, and had sleepless nights about, they take 33% of your sakle gain, for doing absolutely nothing!
@Ian McDonald: I presume you understand that the useless sponger Revenue are collecting tax used to build roads, run schools, pay Garda and, to keep it topical, pay the nurses and doctors working in hospitals with covid.
@Conall: and pay their political bosses their massive salaries and hugh pensions
That’s bound to get on their wick!!!
@Barry Brady: bit late to the party there baz.
@Barry Brady:
I’ll bet they won’t be waxing lyrical on this decision??
@Sean Callan: or they were burning the candle at both ends
Utter horse sh€t, I mean is this actually real!!!!
@Jun Stone: Yeah right, putting VAT on value added processes, only in Ireland eh ? Oh wait….
More amazing silly stuff from our government – court and revenue. Safe slightly conical candles are a luxury. Less safe cylindrical ones are zero rated. Perhaps it’s a cunning plot to burn down churches?
@Ulick Stafford: It’s a wacky tax that’s whacked on wax
The church getting yet another tax break
@Barry: No – same break is there for everyone, in fact its tax break to shops .. No shop sells white candles any less.
Money up in smoke
Revenue would get on your wick.
Should have read comments first. I thought I was a genius there.
The executive’s in that company won’t be burning the candle at both ends this year no doubt
Those candles were just resting on account of the tapered shape, your honour.
These people have been operating tax free for years on a loophole in the law where colourless candles are exempt from vat because not everybody had electricity back when It has to have been very unfair on there competitors .
Such utter tripe
Fair play to the Journal for shining a light on this case
There’s a case for WRC if straight white are being treated different than shapely, scented coloured.
Should’ve been a baker instead of a candle maker.
@Margaret Doyle: You mean candle stick maker ? Vat chance :)
The Irish tax systems do like to make life complicated
@Geoff Bateman: Yep, putting VAT on value added processes is really complicated stuff, ask any accountant, oh wait…
Sorry I clicking wrong item. I was looking for fork handles.
If they were all supplied to a church (which I presume is considered a business and VAT registered) then the church would have been able to claim the VAT back if applied. So Revenue would be in the same position either way and wouldn’t have lost out, or am I missing something?
Shower of melts the whole lot of them, melts, burned out melts.
I was in the retail candle business for years.
All Church candles were VAT free
All coloured or ball shaped candles were 23% VAT.
I asked once about the reason to a manufacturer. Answer was simple.
No VAT to be charged to The Church!
A little known tax break made many moons ago.
Any other candle of any type full VAT.
In the old days we had a different key on the cash register for non VAT Church candles.
It was fully acknowledged it was all down to the Bishops telling some tax department you will make our candles tax free!
The manufacturer is indeed trying to burn the candle at both ends!
Did he collect the Vat though? Was it on his invoices.
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan: Are you serious ?
Value Added Wax !
have your say