Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for a comprehensive and detailed question. I have read up on these areas but I am no expert. I remember reading in detail about why we opted for model A rather than model B, but it might be best to ask the Minister for Finance to explain that or to give a more detailed answer because I do not remember the exact reasons, although it made sense when I read the memo at the time.

On a more general point, Ireland is a pro-business, pro-trade and pro-enterprise country. It has worked for Ireland and it is one of the reasons we are approaching full employment, incomes are at a record high and we are a relatively prosperous country. Part of our economic and industrial policy is having low corporation profit tax. It is one of the reasons so many multinationals base operations in Ireland, although it is not the only reason. It is also one of the reasons our companies are so successful and are able to grow and expand.

It is very much my firm view that large and small profitable companies should pay their fair share of tax in full, where and when it is owed. Ireland is not a tax haven and nor do we wish to be perceived as one. We have done much work to correct that perception if it has existed in the past couple of years. This has involved phasing out the double Irish, to which the Deputy referred, and getting rid of the whole concept of stateless corporations, which is no longer permitted or at least not in our jurisdiction. It has also involved information exchange, and we were one of the first countries to sign up to that. Our Revenue Commissioners will tell their counterparts in other countries how much tax was paid here in order that we can see whether companies are paying tax in other countries. On the night of the budget, we introduced the exit tax, and in the next couple of weeks we should have a solution to the issue of the single malt.

The Deputy will also be aware we collected all the moneys the European Commission says are owed by Apple. It has been collected and is being held in an escrow account until the European courts determine who owns it and how it should be apportioned.

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