Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There are many issues that arise. The Minister started off, and stayed, on Ireland's corporate tax. The Minister stated it had three elements, "rate, reputation and regime". What about reality? Deputy Boyd Barrett pointed out correctly that, according to the last year available from the Revenue Commissioners, €70 billion of corporate profits was taxed at €4 billion, that is, an effective rate of 6.5%. Commentators state that taxable profits are different than reported profits. Are they? Are we back to the illusion, defining different expenses and revenues for the purpose of massaging what one wants to pay?

Society deserves better than this. We have many problems. I am an optimist, but based on realism. Such realism must be based on the figures, such as that simple calculation of two adults on an ordinary, non gold-plated plan where the extra tax to be paid will be €658 or else they must fold their hand of cards and say, "we are not having medical insurance". That is not right.

While on the subject of gold-plated, let us go to the armour-plated corporates. The armour-plated corporates need to be revisited. As the Minister may be aware, I have spoken to CEOs of the foreign direct investment, FDI, multinational companies, MNCs, and a 2.5% national-recovery levy for three years would not even make them blink.

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