Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

I am delighted to hear that.

As the Tánaiste noted, multinational investments, particularly by US owned corporations, are extremely important to Ireland. These corporations employ approximately 100,000 people. A number of large investments have been made in my constituency of Dublin West by firms such as IBM and eBay. I agree with the Minister that Ireland is not a tax haven but I am concerned that only four countries or territories were named in the document released by the White House - Ireland, the Netherlands, the Cayman Islands and Bermuda. Ireland is called a low tax jurisdiction, not a tax haven, in the document. In her discussions with Mr. Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, did she express her concern that Ireland was put in the same group as the Cayman Islands and Bermuda?

I hope the Minister will not drop the ball on this potentially important matter. She intervened much too late in the process at Dell and SR Technics to have an effect. If she and the Government are to have influence, it is important they become involved with the US Congress and Administration to lobby them regarding these tax proposals. Will the job that is to be done through the embassy also be done through the IDA? Will there be a focus on lobbying the Irish-American caucus in Congress, which, while not as strong as it was in the past, should still be briefed about our interests and asked to support them?

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