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

The universality of application is a very important question and one which I cannot answer at the moment. It will be an important issue later in the year. A key issue for all in the OECD process is if an agreement is reached, how will it be enforced and when will it be implemented? That is deeply important. If countries will move, they will do so in an expectation that others are doing so at roughly the same time. All I can do now is acknowledge that the Deputy's question does cut to the heart of where the process is now and is one which requires much further clarification as we approach October.

On the means of collection, I think the Deputy was referring to the importance of tax measures that recognise innovation and research. That is why an important feature of our tax code is the research and development tax credit. An important issue in the OECD engagement is the status of those different allowances. That would affect the Deputy's first question, in that were agreement reached, that would influence how that tax was collected.