John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to ask the Minister about Taiwan. I am chairman of the Ireland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Society. I am also associated with and vice chairman of the European group in support of Taiwan and our engagement in terms of trade, culture and so forth.

Under Michael Noonan when he was Minister, efforts were made to put in place a taxation agreement. It was suggested at that time, to get over the politics of it, that the model adopted by the UK would, with some changes, facilitate the arrangement. Has that made any progress? Is there any hope that taxation agreement will be put in place sooner rather than later?