Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak as part of this extraordinarily important debate. It is a watershed debate in the history of this Dáil and maybe in the last decade. I take issue with those who have said there was political turmoil in the Government during the last week. I suggest that the opposite has been the case. It is true that the suddenness of this decision, in the middle of the summer recess, took some of us by surprise. I will explain what happened thereafter. The Taoiseach called a Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet, which contains people of different points of view, met and had a very mature discussion before deciding, not unreasonably, that it was reasonable to adjourn our deliberations for 48 hours on any historic decision we might make because there were differing points of view which needed to be accommodated. Such an adjournment was agreed without any rancour or difficulty. There was no suggestion from those involved that the survival of the Government was in any danger. In fact, all sides were determined to accommodate one another. I take my hat off to my Fine Gael colleagues because they were prepared to accommodate us. We were also prepared to accommodate them. The suggestion that the agreement to take an additional 48 hours to consider such an important decision was a sign of some sort of political turmoil is absurd. Today, as a result of our deliberations, the Dáil has been recalled in the middle of the summer recess for an important and very good debate. We see divisions and unity in Irish political life which we have not seen for many years.

This is so important because the history of multinationals in this country is one which has been full of ambivalence and difficulty for all parties and all people. On the one hand, when multinationals first came into this country they were not terribly welcome in emotional terms, partly because many of them would not accept trade unions in their midst and partly because they did other cultural things which were difficult for us to accept in the early days. On the other hand, there were jobs and they became gradually accepted in this country. I suggest they were grudgingly accepted because of their foreign nature and their attitude to trade unions.

In addition, there was rightly and understandably a difficulty about what were seen as the tax rates they were paying. I agree with Deputy Fitzmaurice that the people of this country need to have confidence that multinationals, just like small businesses, are paying their fair share of tax. The unease that has existed about decisions on tax that were made in favour of multinationals is certainly manifest here today. It is right and it is understandable. We have been able to express two conflicting emotions in the motion we will vote on tonight. I refer to the compelling nature of our determination not to sacrifice a single one of the jobs brought to Ireland by multinationals, and also to the need to satisfy other people and other businesses that multinationals are paying their fair share. I believe that what the Government has done fulfils that ambition. We have recalled the Dáil, which is the place where such a historic decision should be supported, if not decided. We have also done something mature, non-aggressive and non-threatening in establishing a review to look into the amounts of tax being paid by corporations in this country. Up to today, that was a taboo subject. It was an area where people feared to tread. This review is not being established to threaten anyone. It is being done to reassure people that their fears in this regard, which were legitimate in the past, will no longer be tolerated and to reassure multinationals that the jobs they have brought here are invaluable and are appreciated and that we will not in any way threaten their existence in this country. Multinationals are welcome and it is hoped that they keep coming. At the same time, we need to ensure the people of this country see them as paying fair tax rates.

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