Starting off 2024 with under-reporting on in this case not reporting at all, comes the revamped government credit card tax charges. On January the first, consumers that have bank accounts and as such, possess a credit card, are to be hit with the annual government money grab for their just having such an item in their wallets or bags. Normally this tax for having a piece of plastic would come in April, outrageous as some judge it to be, but the Fine Gael led government has quietly moved the timing of their tax so that all har hit along with a “Happy New Year” from them. The change of tax timing and the application of the tax has not been mentioned by RTE and once again, the vast majority of media outlets.
As a supposed concession to those being taxed, the government in a generous mood, as a once off, have dropped their tax from €30 to €22.50. People that have more than one card, will be hit with the government tax, for every card they have, be it debit or visa. People should remember that they are already paying a tax on their bank money, care of the D.I.R.T amount being deducted by the government annually. In essence, people are being double taxed on the same amount of money. One tax is direct on the amount a person has, and their other is indirect, care of the card they use to spend it. The public loses both times. The government of the day, wins yet again.