Bertie Ahern tops Revenue’s List of ‘Artists’

The Revenue Commissioners have published a list of individuals who have qualified for the Artists Exemption from Income Tax since April 2002.  The list is divided into 5 categories, covering book writers, playwrights, musical composers, painters and sculptors, and includes a mind-boggling total of 3,343 names.

Ironically, the very first name on the first list is none other Bertie Ahern! And the second is his daughter Cecelia!  (If you’re wondering, the lists are compiled, not in order of artistic merit but, in alphabetical order).

While Bertie’s surname enabled him to appear at the top of many a ballot paper, I guess that he would have preferred to kept a lower profile on this particular list – if indeed in Bertie’s world there is such a thing as bad publicity.

The full list can be viewed here.

Barack Obama’s Tax Return is online

US President Barack Obama’s 2009 Income Tax return has been published online.  On 15 April, the tax return deadline day for all U.S. citizens, the details of Mr. Obama’s tax return were officially released by the White House.   It makes interesting reading.

The return tells us that the  President earned  over $5 million in 2009 from his activities as an author. His books “The Audacity of Hope” and “Dreams from My Father” have sold in massive volumes worldwide.

President Obama’s gross earnings from this source amounted to $5,661,666, against which he claimed deductions for $471,022 in “commissions & fees”,  $866 for “office expenses” and a princely $279 for “other expenses”.    The President’s total tax bill for 2009 amounted to $1,792,414, or about 32% of his income.

His bill would have been a lot smaller had Mr. Obama been in a position to use the Irish tax exemption for authors of “original and creative” works.  Frankly, I am surprised Bertie Ahern forgot to tell him.