SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood
During the committee meeting today, the Foyle MP said: “I’ve been working with the Cross Border Workers Coalition, and I know that they’ve met the Finance Minister recently (to discuss this issue).
“It is absolutely essential that, for all of the talk of bringing people home and remote working, the pandemic has changed how we connect and how we work in a very radical way.
“I think this was a change that was coming, but it has been fast-forwarded by the pandemic.
“The issue of somebody living in Muff, a mile from the border, and working for a company based in Derry who is wanting to work remotely is getting double-taxed because of that very fact.
“I think that has to be resolved.
“I know that it has been set aside during the period of the pandemic, but I think all of us should be working on trying to ensure that the government take this issue very seriously.
“If we’re serious about bringing people home, if we’re serious about allowing people to work remotely – yes, we need the broadband connectivity – but there’s no point having broadband connectivity if people are getting taxed twice as much as they should be just to work remotely.”
Speaking after the Committee meeting, Mr Eastwood said: “Over the past year, I have been in contact with the Tánaiste to relay the challenges and worries that my cross border working constituents are facing with the current tax regulations and have asked that action be taken to protect them.
“There should be no tax barriers to cross border workers in Ireland.
“Somebody working remotely in Donegal for a Derry company shouldn’t be taxed twice.
“If we want to bring people back to Ireland to work, live and continue their careers, the Irish government must resolve the issue.”
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