Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Does the Taoiseach agree that the hugely hysterical emphasis he, his Government and the media place on the importance of our rate of corporation tax, which is the third lowest in the European Union, in attracting foreign direct investment is unbalanced and unsustainable? Does he agree that, in the first instance, our highly-skilled and well-educated workforce is a major attraction for companies which establish operations here and that another massive incentive for these companies is the enormous profits - much greater than those available elsewhere - they can make in this country?

In the period 2004 to 2008, total business profits in this country, including those made by foreign companies, amounted to €268 billion. Only €27 billion, or 10.3%, was paid in tax on these profits. Is that not really unsustainable, particularly when the poorest and those who are low paid are increasingly being hit for more money and when one may not even speak about increasing the take from big business?

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