The Revenue Commissioners has indicated an intention to abolish the current tax allowance available to all teachers, possibly with effect from January 2020.
This flat rate allowance for teachers is currently €518 per annum and has a net value of €104 per year.
The ASTI, together with our colleague teacher unions, has engaged with the Revenue Commissioners and made strong submissions over a protracted period of time, seeking to stop the abolition of the expense. We succeeded in securing a postponement of the abolition last year.
We understand the move may come into effect from 1st January 2020. If this takes place then only Teaching Council Fees will be automatically considered for relief from that point onwards.
ASTI has lobbied extensively to seek to prevent this retrograde step. The ICTU and other trade unions across the public and private sectors have raised this at the highest levels. The matter has been raised in Dáil Éireann repeatedly. There may still be time to block this step.
ASTI would advise all members to use their voice. We urge members to write to their local government TDs in this regard and emphasise the injustice of this reprehensible cut.
