Mr. Gary Tobin:

The Deputy posed a couple of questions. I will try to address both because they are important. There has been a great deal of reference to the tax strategy group's paper from 1998. As the Deputy is aware, papers are prepared - as part of the annual process relating to the budget and the finance Bill - by the Department for consideration by the tax strategy group. These papers are published on the Department of Finance website each year at the conclusion of the process relating to the finance Bill. It is a very useful exercise for us because it puts on the record the issues under consideration at the time. When one is looking back ten or 15 years, one can see that an issue arose previously. The Deputy is correct in stating that the issue in question arose in respect of registered non-resident companies. As I understand it, however, the particular issue related to organised crime and activities such as money laundering, drug trafficking and the use of shelf companies.