Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the context of previous experiences this country has had when criticised internationally on the basis of the system we were using to measure the economic forces and trends at work here, which were sometimes quite dismissive, with references to leprechaun economics and so on and so forth, is the Minister absolutely certain we can robustly withstand any criticism that might come from such quarters in future? I ask this question given that in the past several years we have tended to receive criticism concerning our taxation policy in respect of the 12.5% level of tax on corporation profits, as well as other aspects of our economic policies. We have been treated quite unfairly by some commentators who toured the globe to take action against a smaller country and economy that did not have the same clout as they did.

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