Chancellor Osborne in Belfast Talks
07 July 2011
| Belfast International
British Chancellor George Osborne was in Belfast recently meeting with Stormont leaders who want Corporation Tax and Air Passenger Duty in Northern Ireland brought into line with the Republic of Ireland.
Mr Osborne was told that the level of duty in the North is prohibitive and encourages air travellers to choose Dublin airport, where the taxes are considerably lower.
Mr Osborne clearly understood the message from Stormont that lowering the Corporation Tax from 26 percent to 12.5 percent (on a par with the Irish Republic) would help boost the economy in the province by encouraging investment which would lead to more job creation.
The Chancellor said he would consider the proposals over the coming months. If implemented, flights from Belfast could become much more competitive, and the Continental Airlines service to Newark, currently under threat due to high ticket prices, could be saved.