Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On page 4 of the programme for Government, there is a reference to creating a social economy and a number of points are made. One of the first of these relates to sound public finances and a stable and broad tax base. Senior officials from the Revenue Commissioners appeared before the Committee of Public Accounts this morning. They informed it that eight out of ten of the highest earning companies in the country paid zero tax last year and that some even got tax rebates. It is time the Minister for Finance came to the House to explain this. This is not about whether we should have the 12.5% rate of corporation tax - that is a separate argument - it is about the companies that pay zero tax. At the same time, small businesses in my constituency are being hounded by the Revenue Commissioners for the smallest of misdemeanours, such as when they miss their VAT payments by a couple of weeks and so forth. Why does this imbalance exist? It goes to the heart of everything we are doing here. We debate all types of issues relating to health, housing and so forth and we have no money for them, yet these companies are getting away with paying zero tax. Will the Minister come to the House to give a statement on these matters?

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