Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is what keeps business and jobs alive. We would do well to remember this simple economic message. People on the far side of the House seem to have a difficulty grasping it.

In the context of the OECD's report, I urge the Minister of State to be extremely careful as regards unilateral action and the choreographing of the requisite changes. We do not need to make martyrs of ourselves on the international altar. We need to address the issues that have been raised, but we must ensure that the choreography around minimum standards and common approaches does not disadvantage us. As with a phrase coined during the Northern Ireland peace process, we must ensure that people "jump together" at EU and OECD level on tax treaties and so on and that we are not disadvantaged by the legislation that will be necessary to underpin the report's recommendations. We have not been dragged kicking and screaming. Rather, we have been an active participant in this process. Our economy and people who gain valuable employment in the FDI sector should not be disadvantaged. We should send the signal that their employment is welcome and that we intend to protect and attract inward investment.

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