Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

This is really part of a broader discussion that needs to be had in terms of State supports, which come in many forms. I appreciate the Minister's point about my question. I had two questions in one but I think they must have been split up. I appreciate the points the Minister made about start-ups. I also hear what he is saying about more than two thirds of his budget going to Irish companies. However, that is only part of the issue. We have to see business supports as being much more than just grant aids and we need an analysis of this issue. Large international companies do not come to Ireland just because they get State aid. Much of it has to do with our low corporation tax and PRSI rates and, as Michael Taft said, the role Ireland plays in global tax avoidance. Has the Minister seen the report featured in The Guardianlast week about the concept of corporate welfare? Big business is essentially getting massive handouts at the expense of the taxpayer. In Britain, it was £93 billion which equates to more than £3,500 per household. Why can we not do a similar analysis in Ireland to see the cost that is being borne by Irish families to pay for this State subsidy to big business?

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