Birr councillor"s "text tax" idea makes waves

It looks like Birr councillor Sean Doorley"s idea to tax mobile phone text messages has been given a serious hearing in the corridors of power. Last November, as reported in the Offaly Independent, Birr Town Councillor Sean Doorley proposed at a council meeting that a one cent tax on every text message sent in Ireland would raise around €70 million a year for the government. Yesterday, Health Minister Mary Harney said the idea should be examined, while last Tuesday Green Party Deputy Mary White suggested the exact same idea, a one cent tax per text, while speaking in the Dáil. However, although Cllr Doorley proposed that this extra revenue could be spent on health, education and roads it now looks like the tax, if introduced, could be used to help plug up the government"s deficit of billions. But the text tax proposal from the Greens, has been criticised as unfair and injust by the Irish Cellular Industry Association. 'Consumers are already paying 21.5pc VAT on all phone charges, so this would amount to double taxation,' said Tommy McCabe. Mr McCabe said the tax would hit those who are most vulnerable, such as teenagers and the unemployed as they are more likely to communicate via text as it"s cheaper than making phone calls.