Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)

I thank the Tánaiste for his reply, which I take to mean that we will not put ourselves in a situation where the British are not imposing this tax and we are. That is how I understand it and if that is what it means, it is encouraging. Perhaps the Tánaiste does not want to say it in such blunt terms but I presume that is what he means when he makes the distinction between eurozone countries and others.

How long are we going to put up with the extremely unhelpful and hostile attitude from Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy? Since the Government came into power, we have been suffering under their electoral designs. The whole House knows that this attack on our corporate tax base and the financial transaction tax is to some extent an electoral gimmick by two powerful nations. Is it not time that we said that we have had enough, that we are not going to be victims of the Franco-German political domestic agenda for any longer? We are an independent country and our interest is putting Ireland first and not dancing to the Merkel and Sarkozy duet.

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