Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have supplied information to the Deputy in the context of last year's Finance Bill on the contact between my Department and my predecessor across the period when that decision was made. On the question of the decision I made, I made it on the basis of consultation I had with my own Department. I have outlined to Deputy Doherty the contact I had with bodies and organisations in the run-up to the budget. As to why I made the decision that I did and why I am not looking to change it in the way the Deputy wishes, it is because I believe the regime we have in place is competitive and stable. There is great value in those qualities given the changes happening at the moment.

It is my assessment that if I were to make the change that the Deputy referred to, it would damage our ability to attract and retain intellectual property. That is an important feature in how we can retain jobs within our economy. The current regime is competitive. Changing it in any way would undermine that competitiveness. As Deputy Doherty knows and has acknowledged, the €750 million referred to, which is a tentative estimate from the Revenue Commissioners, is a question of the timing of tax revenue.

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