Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not know that there is anything new in what the Minister of State has said. I would like to know what new demands, if any, the Minister for Finance has made in respect of the banks since the publication of this information. I refer in particular to those banks which were bailed out at a significant and continuing cost to Irish taxpayers. Was any new initiative undertaken as a consequence of the publication? Has any squad been assembled in the Revenue Commissioners or the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, ODCE, to ensure that what the banks say they are doing has actually been carried out? Will the Minister commit to a full Dáil debate before the Christmas recess on this matter? I appreciate that the Minister may not have all of the data until everything has been published.

We already see too many Irish-based organisations, companies, individuals and so on popping up in the reports which have been released on a daily basis by the Irish media, in particular The Irish Times, as well as by TheGuardianin the UK. Is the Department monitoring those reports? Is it examining the status of individuals and transactions which have been identified? Will the Minister commit to continuous reform of the structure of tax inquiry and monitoring in order to catch up with this brave new world of global financial organisation and tax evasion and avoidance? It is happening on a global basis and is outside the reach of almost every country.

I have repeatedly recommended a standing tax commission in Ireland which would enable the Revenue Commissioners to do this on a continuous basis. Can the Minister of State tell us about the yachts and private aircraft, which rest for a couple of hours in the Isle of Man, directly across from Dundalk? Can he tell us what the heck is going on?

See this speech in context