Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The answer to that question is "No." Ireland does not do special tax rate deals with companies. Our corporate tax rate is statute based. As I said, PwC and the World Bank point out the headline rate of 12.5% is very close to the effective rate of 11.9%.

I share the Deputy's sympathy and consolation for the people of Oklahoma in respect of the horrific scale of the tornado. I understand 24 people have died and 200 have been injured. President Obama has declared the area a federal case for emergency aid. We hope the rescue workers will be able to help those who may be trapped or injured. Let us hope the death rate is not too high, although one death is too many.

We cannot interfere with the process of legislation in Congress or the Senate, as Deputy Ellis is well aware. We are keeping a close eye on the matter and close interaction and engagement is taking place. The intention is, as part of the overall immigration process, to bring about a resolution for those who are undocumented, with a path to citizenship and a chance for those in the future to avail of the long established opportunities people see as being available in the United States. As far as possible, we will keep an eye on the issue. As I said, I was very happy to engage with Senators and those in Congress in Washington about the matter.

I said this is a Government of reality. We have managed not to cut headline rates in social protection. It is important that we rise to the challenge of meeting the live register numbers in a realistic way. Some 90,000 people on it are employed for three or more days a week. For those who do not have that opportunity, it is important that we see this as a resource, so that when investment from abroad or indigenous companies takes place there is a measure of understanding that the live register is a resource for companies which wish to take on new staff.

Last year there was a turnover of 147,000 in the live register which, admittedly, was replaced, but it shows the scale of activity and the churn, as it is called, in the labour market. I am glad to see there is at least movement in the private sector, with over 1,000 jobs per month being created.

I do not know President Obama's schedule, but he may have the opportunity to visit some locations in Northern Ireland during his attendance at the G8 summit. I am quite sure, from the discussion we had in Washington-----

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