Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The witnesses are very welcome. I looked at the proposal in detail and discussed it with Mr. O'Connor at some length. I will be advocating within Fianna Fáil that we support it in the upcoming budget negotiations. I am conscious that the relief was introduced by Fianna Fáil and abolished by a Fianna Fáil Minister for Finance during a crisis. It is time for it to be reintroduced. The equity argument stands for itself but, in addition, the State must do what it can do support trade unionism and ensure we have strong trade unions in the country. There has been a very serious widening of the wealth gap in Ireland. The two biggest asset groups which we can track are home ownership - we are at the lowest level since 1970 in that regard - and pensions, which are in an absolute mess at the moment.

My portfolio is Brexit. I firmly believe that Brexit is part of a consistent pattern across much of the western world, as evidenced in public support for Marine Le Pen and Alternative für Deutschland, AfD, and all sorts of unpleasantness. That has largely arisen because the status quois not working for many of the people who are or should be in trade unions. We need to do reintroduce the relief and work with the unions to ensure the trade union movement in Ireland grows stronger and that employers are not allowed to tell their staff they may not join a trade union. I have spoken to my colleagues on this issue. We must be cognisant that we are in the middle of crises in homelessness, housing and hospital trolleys, as well as dealing with threats from Brexit. Significant investment in social and transport infrastructure is needed across the country and €26 million is not a small amount of money, so it will be assessed in the context of many urgent and competing demands. I will advocate that the relief be reintroduced and that we can potentially go further in supporting the growth and strength of the trade union movement in this country. It is very important.

In terms of the procedure of getting back the €70, must a member fill in a form 11 or go through a full self-assessment to do so or is there an easy way to get it? The only reason I ask is that one must assume that, at the margin, price matters and there will, therefore, be those for whom the €70 will make the difference between joining or not joining a union or, indeed, it may take pressure off another part of their lives. That becomes far more difficult if one must fill in an entire Revenue form 11 online. How does one get the €70 back?