Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regarding tax efficiency and the closure of loopholes, the Deputy described it very accurately as a chess game. One makes one change and the next day another change happens that offsets it. That is the reason I am being careful about what I say here today. I have already approved for the finance Bill a number of changes for that Bill to deal with our understanding of a number of issues that need to be addressed. If the Deputy has matters that need to be dealt with and on which I agree with her, I will deal with those in the context of the finance Bill. If she has particular issues she wants to raise with me on it, I am happy to examine those because we are trying to deal with some matters in that area.

On Deputy's point regarding the way we are funding refunds for water charges, she was correct that they are being funded from current resources this year. That is the case.

On the issue of minimum yields from certain tax rates, the Deputy will be aware that there are a number of reasons that is very difficult for the country to do. The tax affairs of every individual in every company are different. Our tax code is not set in the context of a company or an individual, rather it is set impartially for sectors of our economy and that must be implemented in a way that reflects the individual circumstances of each individual or company. The fact that we did not choose that method of taxation when our country went through an economic crisis in a Government, of which the Deputy was a member, shows the reason introducing a measure like that could be profoundly counter-productive to our country.