Tax relief may be claimed on Union Membership by simply informing revenue that you are part of a union and they will issue the Tax relief on you Tax cert at the start of the year. However for the majority of VOA members it will already be allowed for on their Tax Credits Certificate as Salaries Section, Cavan forward a list of VOA members who are paying union subs to Revenue every year. If this tax credit is not appearing on your tax credit certificate then either contact Salaries Section or Revenue.
Log on to www.revenue.ie and click on the link Trade Union Subscription and then simply Tick that you are a member of a Trade Union and input your PPS number along with some other security stuff.
The Association
The Veterinary Officers Association represents 314 members employed in the State Veterinary Service of The Civil Service and Public Sector. The Association is a registered trade union affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The current Negotiating Secretary is Mr Sean O’Riordain, MSc. Mgnt. B.L.
Organisation
The Association is organised on the basis of (Ten) colleges located in different areas of the country. A college representative is elected annually from each college and he/she then serves on the Executive Committee for that year. Also serving on the Executive Committee are six officers. Once a year the Annual Veterinary Officers Conference is held and between Conferences the Executive Committee is charged with the conduct of Association business. The Executive has available to it the views of College members through their college representatives.
Benefits
The Principle benefit is the facility for the Association to negotiate improvements in pay and terms and conditions of employment and to represent and protect the professional and individual interests of members. The Association, in addition, has arranged the following services for members.
- Income Continuance Protection .
Public Sector sick pay regulations are such that if officers exhaust their sick pay they may have no income to fall back on. The Income Continuance Plan provides such income cover to 75% of salary. The premium is 1.5% of Salary and full tax relief applies under Section 47 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997.
In the event of your death in service, a Death Benefit of a minimum of one years salary and a maximum of 1.5 years salary will be paid to your dependants depending on service completed at the date of death. The gross cost of the plan is 1.1% of salary and tax relief may be applicable.
- Additional Voluntary Contribution
This is a scheme to facilitate early retirement to increase your pension to 50% of actual salary and to increase your Tax Free Gratuity.
The above schemes are run by Insurance Brokers Gregan & McGuinness (Life & Pensions) Ltd and can be contacted at (01) 6609934/6609940.
Gregan & McGuinness,
Brendan J Daly Ltd. ( 01)-2893434
Car, Home, Property Insurance & Personal Accident - McDonagh, Boland, Crotty, MacRedmond Ltd. (01)-6689288
Serious Illness Cover - Brendan J Daly Ltd.
The Association has arranged for the provision of legal services to members by Mr Eddie McGarr, McGarr Solicitors, 34/35 Wicklow St., Dublin 2, Tel. 01 6351580 – Fax 01 6351578 The fees of the Solicitor will be the personal responsibility of members availing themselves of the services.
The Executive Committee & the Association accept no legal responsibility for the services provided to members under the various schemes & arrangements in operation.
The Association circulates a synopsis of the monthly Executive meetings to all members.
Each member recives a copy of the Annual Report which outlines the activities of the Association during the previous twelve months and also contains the Constitution of the Association.
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Cost of Membership
Subscriptions are paid by deduction at source and amount to at present 0.5% of basic salary.
Income Tax
A flat rate expense of €317 per annum is allowed for miscellaneous expenses for all members.
