Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I join with the Ceann Comhairle in expressing the sympathy of the Irish people to the Japanese people in their crisis arising from the awesome power of nature coupled with the difficulties being experienced with the nuclear reactors. I commend Deputy Martin on comments of support in respect of what the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, on behalf of the Irish people, can to do assist in this regard with expertise. Obviously, Ireland has a unique record of assistance in humanitarian crises of one sort or another, as Deputy Martin is well aware from his experience as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

It is heartening to hear Deputy Martin speak like this about our corporation tax rate. This is an issue of fundamental importance to everybody in this House and in our country. It may well have been a classic try-on but the point was made perfectly clear at the meeting in Brussels that these issues are separate and that the question of common consolidated corporate tax base, CCCTB, or the corporate tax rates are separate matters from the IMF-EU deal.

Our position has been to seek an improvement in the terms of the deal in so far as the Irish taxpayer is concerned. The decision at the conclusion of the meeting on Friday was that the countries involved in the EFSF would have interest rate reductions brought about. Ireland, of course, is the only country in that package. Greece achieved a reduction of 100 basis points, or 1%. While it is not a member of that particular package, its situation is particularly difficult.

I, on behalf of the Irish people and Government, and given the mandate the Government has been given, am not prepared to accept anything less than absolute clarity in respect of the corporate tax rate and the question of CCCTB. Deputy Martin will appreciate the references to this matter in New York yesterday are a cause of anxiety and concern. It is my privilege to travel to the United States this evening. Tomorrow I will reassure business interests who have an interest in investing in our country that these matters are of absolute importance to us.

The discussions over the past few days and again next week centre around getting an improvement for the Irish taxpayer in respect of the IMF-EU deal. As Deputy Martin will be aware, the Minister for Finance met the President of the ECB and Commissioner Rehn yesterday and is in a meeting of the Ministers for Finance today, and there are other meetings scheduled as we prepare for the meeting of 24 and 25 March. In that regard, our focus is to achieve a flexibility which will bring about an easing of this position for the Irish taxpayer.

I want to see that everything we do can advance us to a point where our country can borrow again in the bond markets, where we have retrieved our sovereignty and where our destiny is in our own hands. One can take it that every action the Government will take will be focused on that. Absolute clarity has been our point in respect of the corporate tax rate and CCCTB, and that is the way it will remain.

See this speech in context