Minister of State Simon Harris clarified a crucial part of the recently-passed finance bill in Ireland which made it clear that members of the diaspora who inherit agricultural property while living abroad do qualify for the capital acquisitions tax agricultural relief so long as they spend at least 50% of their time actively working on the farm. Speaking on the matter, Sinn … [Read more...] about Tax Relief for Emigrants Returning to Ireland to Farm
Issues
Poverty in Ireland Doubles
The latest CSO figures in Ireland uncover a troubling statistic regarding Ireland’s poor. The figures show that poverty has doubled in Ireland since 2008. One in six children and one in ten people over 65 are at risk of poverty, with 1.4 million people currently experiencing some kind of deprivation, an increase of 128% since 2008. While the poverty line has itself fallen to … [Read more...] about Poverty in Ireland Doubles
The Long Green Line
In post-WWII New York City, my father worked as a supervisor in the city’s Department of Transportation at the traffic sign shop. The shop was responsible for the care and refurbishment of all signs posted to inform motorists and pedestrians of city traffic regulations and street conditions. The sign shop staff also took care of painting the streets themselves, including bus … [Read more...] about The Long Green Line
St. Pat’s for All
The 15th Annual St. Pat’s for All Parade took place the first Sunday of March in Queens, New York. Established as a counter to the exclusion of LGBTQ groups marching under their own banner from the Fifth Avenue parade, St. Pat’s for All has become a political touchstone of the season. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio attended, as he did last year, instead of the Fifth Avenue … [Read more...] about St. Pat’s for All
Irish Eye on Hollywood
A highly-anticipated award-winning film about a determined Irish woman will get a big U.S. release this May. Entitled Noble, the film stars Drogheda native Deirdre O’Kane, who once described the film’s title character as “Ireland’s smoking, swearing, and singing answer to Mother Teresa.” The film explores the hard life and charitable work of Christina Noble, who created a … [Read more...] about Irish Eye on Hollywood