David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will try my best. It had been reported that this afternoon the Cabinet will make a decision on the revised text of the OECD agreement. We have been clear that it is in the best interests of the State to be part of any final agreement to reform the international tax system. I want to ask a specific question regarding comments the Tánaiste made a number of weeks ago. He said that the 12.5% rate would remain for the average Irish business. He later rowed back on this commitment and clarified that this was a false assurance he had given SMEs, with no approval yet given by the Commission that we would be permitted to operate two rates of corporation tax. As the Tánaiste knows, this is an issue my colleague, Deputy Pearse Doherty, raised with the Department of Finance a number of months ago. Will the Tánaiste clarify whether he has sought approval from the Commission to operate dual tax rates, with 12.5% for businesses that fall below the revenue threshold under the OECD agreement, and whether this approval has been given?

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