Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

I was surprised to hear the Minister state that the effective rate is 11.9%. Perhaps he can clarify the source of the figure because other figures were outlined in the Private Members' debate on this issue which indicated that the effective rate was approximately 10%. Can he confirm whether the fleets of company cars which are given to high paid executives in highly profitable companies continue to be written down for tax purposes so that companies can sidestep some of their corporation tax liabilities? Given the sacrifices being made by ordinary workers and vulnerable people dependent on our public services, is it fair that profitable companies which make hundreds of millions of euro per year pay a lower proportion of tax on their earnings than the workers who clean the floors of their buildings? How can the Minister morally justify that in the current circumstances?

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