Those involved in terrorising and killing Irish wildlife with packs of hounds and blasting animals to death are among those on Revenue's list of "SPORTS" bodies that have been granted tax exemption.
Revenue’s latest 30 June 2021 list outrageously includes the Irish Masters Of Foxhounds Association and the following hunts:
County Limerick Hunt Club
Shillelagh And District Hunt Club
County Roscommon Hunt
Laois Hunt Club
Carbery Hunt
Fingal Harrier Hunt
United Hunt Club
The Island Hunt Limited
Limerick Harriers Hunt
East Galway Foxhounds
Also enjoying tax exemption is the National Association Of Regional Game Councils whose members are responsible for the recreational shooting of foxes, deer, birds and other creatures.
See the full list at
https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/statistics/registrations/sports-bodies-numeric.pdf
Revenue and the Department of Finance have shamefully disregarded calls over the years for those involved in killing wildlife to be removed from the list.
The hunters and shooters are continuing to receive the tax exemption under Section 235 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 which deals with "bodies established for promotion of athletic or amateur games or sports". The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is renewing a call for hunting groups to be excluded due to the fact that they do not fall into the categories of athletic, amateur game or sport.
In 2013, then Minister for Finance Michael Noonan (Fine Gael) maintained that hare and fox hunting groups are entitled to a tax exemption. Responding to a Dail Question from then TD Maureen O'Sullivan, pro-bloodsports Noonan stated: “As the legislation does not define what is meant by the term ‘sport’, it has to be given its ordinary meaning. In that context, it has been regarded as including pastimes collectively undertaken for recreation purposes provided such activities are legal and considered by convention and custom to be sporting activities. These include field sports such as hunting, shooting and fishing.”
ACTION ALERT
Sign the Petition: End tax exemption for hunting groups
https://www.change.org/p/end-outrageous-tax-exemption-for-hunting-groups
Please join us in urging current Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and the Revenue Commissioners to recognise that terrorising and killing animals is not a "sport" or "game" and to reject applications for tax exemption from hunts.
Revenue Commissioners
Games and Sports Exemption Section
Revenue Commissioners
Government Offices,
Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
Tel: 01 738 3680 / 067-63377
Email: sportexemp@revenue.ie,paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie