Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It used to be transparent when we were on that side.

I understand that Ministers had a very useful exchange today on the draft conclusions and that it is the intention of President Van Rompuy to encourage a strategic exchange among leaders on both of tomorrow's important thematic issues. The European Council discussions on energy will be clearly positioned in the context of the European Union's efforts to promote growth, jobs and competitiveness, all of which are consistent with Irish Presidency objectives. In fact, that has been our main focus. A great deal of preparatory work for tomorrow's meeting had been done on the energy side by the Irish Presidency and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, including during the informal meeting of energy Ministers held in Dublin Castle last month. On that occasion, Ministers discussed the use of smart technologies to control energy consumption, the impact of unconventional oil and gas on security of supply, competitiveness and prices, financing energy efficiency and the integration of intermittent renewables. In Dublin, member states confirmed that the level of ambition in unlocking investment must be underpinned not only by regulatory certainty, but also rigorous analysis of the costs and benefits associated with the different possible approaches to new and existing energy policies, especially where new opportunities and technologies are being exploited. The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, shared these perspectives with President Van Rompuy when they met in Brussels last Friday. He also highlighted the key role to be played by energy efficiency, which is critical to security of supply, improved competitiveness and enhanced sustainability. Energy efficiency is something we can be getting on with now, creating jobs while facilitating significant savings over the medium term. The Taoiseach has said he will be making these points in Brussels tomorrow.

Tomorrow's discussion of taxation matters by leaders is to be wholeheartedly welcomed. Indeed, there is a discussion on the same issues today in the EU Parliament. It is not in the interest of any EU member state government to see tax evasion and fraud being perpetrated. This is a classic example of an area in which co-operation makes sense. Together, we can achieve a degree of coverage and enforcement which no single member state could manage on its own. Evasion and fraud are not victimless crimes. On the contrary, they have a potentially significant number of victims and negative and damaging repercussions throughout society. As Presidency, Ireland and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, have been at the forefront of progressing efforts in conjunction with Commission to strengthen efforts to combat tax evasion and fraud. Together with Commissioner Šemeta, Deputy Noonan wrote last month to his ECOFIN colleagues identifying seven key areas where concrete action can be delivered in the short term. The House will be satisfied to hear that, already, four of the seven measures have been delivered while work is ongoing to deliver on those which remain outstanding.

The House should be 100% reassured that matters of direct taxation remain the sole competence of member states.

The Government, together with a strong majority of member states, would not support an alteration to the unanimity requirement in this field, but Ireland and our EU and international partners have a great deal to benefit from strengthened co-operation to counter tax fraud and evasion.

The European Union is not the only international forum in which these issues are dealt with. The OECD, of which Ireland is a member, plays a leading role in a number of related areas, including the consideration of base erosion and profit shifting, BEPS. The G20 and the G8 are also grappling with these issues and it will be one of the key items on the agenda of G8 leaders when they gather at Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, next month. Tomorrow's discussion at the European Council promises to provide a useful range of orientations on these two policy areas which have important potential to support the enhancement of the European Union's competitiveness and efforts to stimulate and support job creation and growth across Europe.

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