Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State's address. I apologise for being late. I had a look at the draft orders earlier and I have no difficulty whatsoever with them. My party very much supports the three orders giving effect to the double taxation agreements, the one protocol and the three tax information exchange agreements. I commend the officials from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Finance for continuing to progressively build up Ireland's tax treaty network. Clearly it is vital to our economic interests. It makes trade easier. It makes working relationships across trans-national business communities far easier. The fact that we now have a network covering 80% of world GDP and a pipeline of further treaties coming down the track is very encouraging.

I welcome this, Chairman. I do not have any questions as the matter is very straightforward. I wish the Office of the Revenue Commissioners and the Department well in their continuing efforts to expand our network further.