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Review of tax and welfare systems to begin

The Commission on Taxation and Welfare is to meet for the first time today (4 June), after the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe (pictured) named its 14 members.

Professor Niamh Moloney (who heads the Department of Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science) is to chair the commission.

The body has been asked to look at how best the taxation and welfare systems can support economic activity and promote increased employment and prosperity, while also ensuring that there are enough resources available to fund the cost of public services.

Issues to be addressed

Minister Donohoe said the members had been chosen to ensure a “balanced consideration” of the issues relevant to the commission’s terms of reference.

These include an ageing population, digital disruption and automation, as well as the Government’s long-term commitments in areas such as health, housing and climate change.

The terms of reference include calls for the commission to review the structure of the social insurance system, examine the merits of a tax on site values, and look at how the tax system could be used to move Ireland to a low-carbon economy.

It is due to publish its recommendations next year.

Members named

The other 13 members are:

• Marie Bradley (managing director, Bradley Tax Consulting),
• Philip Brennan (former Assistant Secretary, Revenue),
• Sandra Clarke (President of the Irish Tax Institute, partner in BCC Accountants),
• Rowena Dwyer (manager of policy, planning and Government relations with Enterprise Ireland),
• Dr William Hynes (senior advisor to the Secretary General, OECD),
• Philip Kermode (former director, European Commission),
• Aoife Ní Lochlainn (Irish Environmental Network),
• Rena Maycock (CEO and founder of Cilter Technologies),
• John-Mark McCafferty (CEO of Threshold),
• Tom McDonnell (Nevin Economic Research Institute and ICTU nominee),
• Fergal O’Brien (director, IBEC),
• Dr Barra Roantree (Economic and Social Research Institute),
• Anne Vaughan (former Deputy Secretary, Department of Social Protection).

Mr Kermode’s participation is subject to approval by the European Commission.