Two Donegal people are to feature in a new RTE series asking just exactly what our taxes are spent on.
Alan McMenamin, from Ballybofey and Sally McCafferty from Gaoth Dobhair, come from different walks of life but both are angry as to where their taxes are going.
Now former TD and RTE presenter George Lee returns to our screens and tries to get Alan and Sally an answer to their questions.
As the Dáil debates a Tax Transparency Bill which aims to give Irish taxpayers an annual account of how their taxes are spent, George Lee meets Irish families wondering where their tax money goes and what they get in return.
Alan, from Ballybofey, works part-time but requires social protection payments to get by. He contributed thousands in taxes when he was working full-time but doesn’t feel he is receiving adequate support now when he most needs it.
Now Alan wants to know where the money he contributed in PRSI went as he doesn’t feel the social protection system works effectively for those out of work.
Sally’s daughter Róisín has Type 1diabetes and uses an insulin pump to improve her quality of life.
Sally and Róisín have to travel from their home in Gaoth Dobhair to Dublin four or five times a year for check-ups as the diabetes services in Donegal cannot provide support services for the pump.
Sally wants to know why she contributes the same level of tax to the health service when her family doesn’t receive the same support services as a family living in Dublin.
Amid anxiety around this year’s Budget, George Lee asks how much of an individual’s tax deductions go towards repaying Ireland’s enormous bank debt.
Finance and Economics experts examine Ireland’s outgoings and whether any of us can afford them. And a psychologist looks at Ireland’s particular approach to the concept of taxation and democracy.
In the lead up to the 2012 Budget, George Lee tries to find out where your tax Euros go once they leave your wallet.
George Lee’s Tax Return will be broadcast on Monday, November 26th at 9.35pm on RTE One.
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