Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The question relates to the recovery and re-investment plan, which is fundamentally about the domestic US economy. Of course, if the American economy can effect a recovery, Ireland, as an open, exporting economy, stands to benefit. As I said in my reply, the US is extremely important to Ireland in terms of exports and investment from multinational companies. The broader issues raised by the Deputy, such as the possibility of taxation incentives for repatriation of profits, do not materialise in the context of this plan. Some amendments were suggested but they were not accepted.

See this speech in context