Taxing health club fees

Madam, - The Government is set to tax health club membership fees given by employers to employees as fringe benefits, treating…

Madam, - The Government is set to tax health club membership fees given by employers to employees as fringe benefits, treating them as benefit-in-kind from January 1st, 2004, according to Laura Slattery (Business This Week, November 7th).

I am surprised the Government is adopting such a short-sighted approach, penalising people for taking exercise, in light of the small amount of revenue this measure will generate.

It should abandon this senseless tax and instead give workers tax credit for health club membership fees as part of an overall health strategy. - Yours etc.,

SUSAN CULLEN,

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Dun Laoghaire,

Co Dublin.