The Finance Bill published this week (8/2/2012) has drawn a disappointed reaction from Trade unions, who have said that "it ignores the potential benefit of infrastructural investment to the Irish economy and casts a blind eye to the possibility of incentivising the country's private pension schemes to provide the finance for this yesterday", SIPTU President, Jack O'Connor.
However, there is a positive element contained in it and that is the extension of the principle of equal treatment for civil partners in the tax codes, a long standing demand of Congress and LGBT groups in Ireland. GLEN have said that "This proposed Bill is further progress for same-sex couples and families. We welcome the continued commitment of this Government to ensure that civil partners are treated the same as opposite-sex married couples in the tax codes." said Kieran Rose, GLEN Chair.
Senator Katherine Zappone has also welcomed the changes made in respect of tax treatment of civil partners. Senator Zappone had put forward a number of recommendations to the Minister during the debates on the Finance Bill, including extending the definition of maintenance agreements for tax purposes; and arguing that maintenance arrangements made as part of a legally binding agreement between civil partners should be recognised for tax purposes as is currently the case for married couples.
The development also serves as a reminder of our recently published guide for LGBT people at work.
