1981.

Summerhill, Dublin 1.

Decisions.

Meanwhile…

Gnarly.

Nicha – Little Bird

Following on from her summer single Devices, Nicha (top) is back with a song with an important message for those in an abusive relationship.

The Hollywood, County Down singer/songwriter says:

“I feel there is a taboo around talking about domestic abuse, mental and physical. Women are suffering, men are suffering, there are so many victims even in this day and age. We need to raise awareness and remind people to talk more.”

Nick says: Fly away.

Nicha

Fatboy Slim’s ‘Weapon Of Choice’ set to Spike Jonze’s memorable video featuring Christopher Walken’s zero-G hoofing but with the 2nd and 4th beats of the track swapped by Steve Badach to create an equally infectious glitched mix.

awesomer

From top: Derek Mahon in 1996; His poem Everything Is Going To be All Right regained prominence during Covid-19

This morning.

Belfast-born Poet Derek Mahon has died aged 78.

RIP.

Derek Mahon, one of Ireland’s leading poets, has died, aged 78 (irish Times)

Rollingnews

Driving instructors, above from left: David Seales, Denise Doolan  and Brian Hewitt

This morning.

Finglas, Dublin 11.

Driving instructors protest ‘poor working conditions’ during the rona and a lack of engagement by the Road Safety Authority to their concerns.

Leah Farrell/RollingNews

From top: Pandemic Unemployment Payment form; Catherine Murphy

Yesterday.

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy , in a written question, asked the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to reveal what orders he has given to the Revenue Commissioners regarding tax liabilities for recipients of the wage subsidy scheme and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment  PUP) .

The Minister for Finance responded:

On 25 September in a public announcement Revenue set out how any tax liability arising on the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will be dealt with.

Revenue officials sent a copy of its press release to my Department for information prior to publication. There was no instruction from me or my officials to Revenue in relation to this matter.

While the expected tax liability should be modest in most cases, the position as set out by Revenue is very welcome and is a further demonstration of how we will continue to work to minimise financial hardship to the greatest extent possible on taxpayers challenged by COVID-19.

While most income is liable to income tax and the Universal Social Charge (USC) and is deducted in real-time as and when the person is paid, the TWSS and PUP payments were not taxed in real-time and are instead liable to income tax and USC at the end of this year.

Revenue will make a Preliminary End of Year Statement available to all employees in January 2021, including those who were in receipt of the TWSS or PUP. The Preliminary End of Year Statement includes information relating to an employee’s income received, including pensions and income from the Department of Social Protection, Community and Rural Development, and the Islands, as well as their tax credit entitlements.

For the tax year 2020, the Statement will also include information on the amounts of TWSS/PUP payments, if any, received by each employee. In addition, the Statement will provide employees with a preliminary calculation of the income tax and USC position for 2020 and will indicate whether their tax position is balanced, underpaid or overpaid for the year.

Upon viewing the Preliminary End of Year Statement through myAccount, which is Revenue’s secure online facility for individual taxpayer services, employees will have an opportunity to update their personal record, declare any additional income and claim any additional tax credits due, for example qualifying health expenses, to arrive at their final liability for 2020.

Where a liability is finalised, individuals may opt to fully or partially pay any income tax and USC liability through the Payments/Repayments facility in myAccount. Where individuals do not opt to fully or partially pay, Revenue will collect the liability by reducing their tax credits over 4 years, interest free. The reduction of tax credits will start in January 2022.

Anyone?

Previously: Liable To Income Tax And PRSI

Rollingnews

150 Hinchey Avenue (centre), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

This morning.

Leaving cert grade coder Polymetrika International Inc, was paid €163,000 by the Department of Education without a tendering process.

Initially awarded a contract worth €71,500, it was paid a further €91,000 at a rate of more than €1,100 a day to help provide coding services for the calculated grades system.

Via The Irish Times;

Polymetrika International Inc is based out of a residential home in Ottawa, according to company records.

The company’s chief executive is Dr Fernando Cartwright, though it is not clear from the firm’s website or other records whether other employees or contractors are based at the address of 150 Hinchey Avenue.

Dr Cartwright has previously been involved in research papers which have involved the Education and Research Centre in Dublin.

He was not available for comment on Thursday when a reporter called to the address.

Anyone?

Firm linked to errors in Leaving Cert results paid €163,000 (irish Times)

GooglewMaps

Broadsheet.ie