Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is because that is about a European institution taking tax sovereignty to its heart. Mr. Tang may be coming at this matter for a genuine reason because of scandals such as, for example, that involving Apple. However, he will be familiar with the fact that before it arose more than ten years ago, it was a principle of many of the leaders of the European Union that they wanted to take tax sovereignty to the core. This is them now taking the opportunity to do that. I disagree with their approach. Taxation matters are best dealt with at national level. There needs to be co-operation in terms of how we tax people and ensuring that they cannot exploit the differences between individual states. In terms of the functions of being able to determine how many rates we have, what the rates are and how we apply them, however, it should be done at national level. It is difficult for me to say this because successive Governments have facilitated that which I have outlined.

Mr. Tang used the term "tax pirates". In the past, I have stated that they have pimped out our country to the multinationals and allowed them to use our tax code to avoid paying their due taxes, not only here but also across the rest of the world. Is the solution to this not at a global level instead of at European level?