Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 16 December 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement

Engagement with Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and Foyle Port

Photo of Emer CurrieEmer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Clancy and Mr. O'Kane. First, they know that I support the cross-Border workers' campaign and I am glad the Minister has agreed to meet with the witnesses again in the new year with regard to giving some clarity about that timescale. However, that is a temporary position and what we need is a permanent solution or something that we can trial and give us hope for the future. What is interesting about the tax strategy position on it is that it is firmly about tax and revenue and does not necessarily involve the bigger picture. Do the witnesses agree with that? For example, the North now has dual market access and, hopefully, that will remain. Looking at the north-west region, is there the opportunity for the South there as well and for the entire region growing together? The labour market has to be set up to do that. Is it beneficial to address this so the entire region can grow and take the opportunities from dual market access? The tax strategy document does not take that into consideration.

With regard to equity, I wish to take up some points the witnesses made and ask them to elaborate on them further. On the equity piece, paying a higher rate of income tax could mean that two people in the one household are paying different levels of income tax because one has Northern Ireland based employment and the other has Republic of Ireland based employment. What is that in reality? The tax might be different but there are salary differences. What other factors contribute to the witness saying that his figures show that it does not make much of a discrepancy? I wish to understand that more. Again, there is the tax strategy paper's point about making it more attractive for employees to work and pay tax in the North and needing a lot more data on that. What kind of data are being referred to? The witness is absolutely right about producing pragmatic solutions here. The North has allowed 60 days. Could we look at a greater number of days, such as up to 180 days that people can work from home? The two other issues were salary caps and the roles. That is definitely the place where the witness is giving solutions and I hope the Minister can make those work.

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