When Irish eyes are smiling...

I'm told that in Ireland artists don't pay any taxes. Can this be true? What a progressive way of civilization building. I'm sure we can all think of some wealthy Irish artists who are greatly benefitting from this. But then, what an incentive there is to give back to your culture. On your own terms. But I wonder, how is this all enforced? Is there an art brigade that storms into your studio unannounced and demands to see recently made art? How do they define an artist? Did James Joyce get a piece of this action? (Not that is mattered with his income). Could you imagine the abuse that system would face if tried here? Questions, questions, questions... You've got to have a lot of faith in the creative output of your country to pull something like this off.