Seen & Heard: VAT surprise for Uber drivers; McKillen’s ‘informal contract’ with Sheikh; renewable firms’ crisis profits; pension deadline
The Coalition is committed to introducing a national living wage – 60 per cent of hourly median wages – by January 2026 through incremental increases in the minimum wage, as recommended by the Low Pay Commission. Also in the Business Post, taxi drivers who have signed up to ride-sharing app Uber could face difficulties renewing their licences over missed VAT payments.
Jim Waldron, spokesman for the National Private Hire and Taxi Association , said his group’s members – who had always understood that their services were exempt from VAT – are “shocked” at the development. “Revenue has now been informed by taxi service platforms about who is using their services and commissions paid by drivers to use the platforms,” according to the report, and this data is being used to “cross-check taxpayer declarations”, a spokeswoman for the tax authority said.
Wind and solar companies watched as their net profits quadrupled in 2022 – the first year of the crisis – from €125 million to €509 million as demand for alternative sources of electricity generation boomed, the paper reports.