Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. He stated there would be no change to our corporate taxation rate, which has been the policy of successive Governments and a necessary part of our economic and industrial policies. Is he not concerned that two senior figures in the SPD - namely, the party's budget spokesperson and general secretary - have described our corporation tax rate as too low? While the Tánaiste referred to a number of issues he raised with senior members of the SPD, he did not indicate whether he specifically raised the issue of corporation tax or reiterated the strong message that the Irish corporation tax rate will not change and that taxation is a matter of national rather than European Union competence.

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