Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Yes. We famously remember how the Army was going to be guarding the ATMs such was the severity of the economic crisis. The Taoiseach decided to emulate the rather bizarre comments of the former Taoiseach with the claims that we would have the Army deployed on the Border in the event of a no-deal Brexit. This is despite the fact that the Taoiseach comes into the House and repeats the same answer week after week when we ask him whether he is considering erecting a border to protect the EU Single Market in the event of a no-deal scenario. The Taoiseach says "No" and claims it is not even being considered or dreamt of. Then, the Taoiseach goes on international television at the Davos gathering and says that he is thinking of sending the Army up to the Border. It is bizarre.

Could the Taoiseach please explain that? Could he also explain the remarkable comment that we are "forever closing tax loopholes" when he was challenged about Ireland's tax haven status?

Can we just deal with facts instead of spin? According to the last available figures, €144 billion in pre-tax profits are declared in this country. By the time the taxable profit is calculated it is half that at approximately €70 billion. There are, therefore, approximately €70 billion worth of loopholes in the tax code. There are research and development tax credits, inter-group transactions, group losses, and losses brought forward. If one goes through the list, there are myriad tax loopholes, which allow the largest corporations in the world to write down their tax liability to almost nothing. Everyone else in the world knows this and is saying it, yet the Taoiseach continues to claim it is untrue. Precisely what tax loopholes has the Taoiseach closed?

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