22 December 2002

Music Silenced by Immigration SUNDAY TIMES -- Several international musicians have fallen foul of the Irish government's crackdown on illegal immigration, writes Scott Millar in the Sunday Times. On 17 Dec 02, Youssou N'Dour, an internationally-renowned Senegalese musician, was detained at Dublin airport for four hours. Members of N'Dour's group have complained that they were individually interviewed without a translator despite their poor English, and say the band was confined without easy access to toilet facilities. The group was freed only after direct intervention by the Department of Justice and took the stage an hour late. Ireland's opting out of the Schengen agreement, which allows non-EU nationals resident in the EU to travel freely, is a cause of confusion. The opt-out has disproportionately affected musicians from the Third World, many of whom are resident in Paris, the unofficial capital of world music. Chief Superintendent Martin Donnellan, head of the Garda National Immigration Bureau, thinks it's necessary to run a tight ship. He told The Sunday Times that "more than 3,000 people attempted to enter the country illegally through Dublin airport last year and the immigration police must apply the letter of the law in each case regardless." Performances in America have been complicated by the need to inform immigration services of an intention to perform six months in advance, and by an increase in visa costs. Scott Millar x: 174   [Comment on Shoptalk]

Tax-free Creative Income While Resident in Ireland GARRINGREEN HOTSPOT -- Under an exemption system that dates back to 1969, an artists who lives and works in Ireland doesn't have to pay tax on income earned from an original artistic product. The product can be a painting, sculpture, musical composition, fictional writing or personalised non-fiction, such as an autobiography. Because it is the product and not the producer that is tax-eempt, performers such as Westlife, many of whose songs are written for them, are not eligible. Neither are actors, because they are seen to be performing the original product of someone else (the playwright) whose income is exempt. Enya, whose Day Without Rain became the world's bestseller of 2001, is eligible for exemption from Irish tax. She composes every song herself, without use of samplers, synthesisers or backing vocals. That means she spends months laying down hundreds of vocal layers for each track. Plus, she spends much of her time in her studio, so she rarely performs live or goes on tour. When applying for tax exemption, an artist fills in a form, which is submitted along with an example of their work. The Revenue Commissioners then decide whether the income is tax exempt. They may take advice from the Arts Council on borderline cases. Enya's income in 2001 was estimated at €102m, putting her ahead of Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones, Moya Doherty of Riverdance and Chris de Burgh. Like any other artist, she must pay PRSI on her tax-exempt income. ["Artistic Talent Receives Original Reward" in The Sunday Times, 22 Dec 02.]   [Comment on Shoptalk]

Housebreaking My New Dog in Seven Days [day two] GARRINGREEN HOTSPOT -- We have got the new puppy to the point where she is walking to the front door before she squats on the tile. Plus, she poos in along one area of the back yard. These are workable habits and suggest we can look forward to a housebroken dog before the New Year.   [Comment on Shoptalk]

Bookshelf: Translucent Databases GARRINGREEN HOTSPOT -- There are also practical reasons why businesses may want to cloak their databases. In today's Sunday papers, whole pages are being printed about subpoenas for phone records and diaries. These subpeonas are a tax on people who keep good records. Shipping companies like FedEx have entire divisions devoted to answering calls from law enforcement and the courts. As Peter Wayner tells Declan McCullagh, "It's not just spies defending the realm either--divorce lawyers love to poke around for evidence. A business that keeps the records must also spend the costs to answer questions." [Peter Wayner and Declan McCullagh]   [Comment on Shoptalk]

Irish Strategic Rail Review Needs 7bn euro GARRINGREEN HOTSPOT -- The Irish government will have to invest almost €7bn to improve the Irish rail service over the next 20 years, according to an internal government report. Merely maintaining the rail system at current levels will require a €3.45bn investment. The report calls for rail investment to be directed towards two strategic areas: large inter-urban routes and the commuter belt around Dublin. This will marginalise myself, living in Kilkenny and commuting to Dublin. "Strategic Rail Review" x: 17   [Comment on Shoptalk]