Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have sympathy for the situation of the person to whom the Senator refers but I cannot accept the amendment. What is proposed would not be a logical inclusion in companies' financial statements. Such statements relate to companies' financial performance and not to their tax obligations. Fiscal accounting address tax obligations. If the Government were to consider a requirement to oblige businesses to obtain and publish certificates of tax compliance, the appropriate place to do so would be in tax law rather than company law in order that both company and non-company businesses, which also pay taxes, would be contemplated. The introduction of the suggested requirement would be entirely without precedent across the European Union. It is on this basis that I am not in favour of accepting the amendment.