Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

Will the Minister make available to Members such a report and analysis, given that it is a very important issue for many Irish companies and others based here but held abroad? Is the Minister aware of the figures recently quoted in various media that in 2001 $26 billion in profits was made by American companies? Given those figures and since a large part will not have been repatriated because of the tax arrangements, we could be looking at a very significant, multi-billion, transfer of capital back from Irish funds and accounts to home ones. Is the Minister concerned in that regard about the implications, even though IDA Ireland has assured him that there are no immediate implications for investment policy?

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