Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----and we are one of the most advanced countries and democracies in the world. We have a competitive, consistent and a transparent corporate tax regime, good access and connectivity and an excellent return on investment.

The Irish sites of leading global companies play a key role in creating or adding value to the goods and services that underpin the modern global economy anchored in our membership of the European Union. Policies, strategies and the legislative toolkit are kept under constant review.

Deputy Tóibín mentioned corporation tax and he eventually mentioned that we are part of the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, BEPS, process and, yes, we did work to protect our vital national interest throughout the process. We did not just jump in at the start because we were working to protect Ireland's interests in that, and we have very much done that.

We have a very strong indigenous enterprise sector which successive governments have supported and the Deputy does not seem to know that Ireland is the sixth or seventh biggest investor into the United States. Much of that is indigenous industries and they are working with Enterprise Ireland all around the world to boost and lift them up and to expand them into markets all over the world. We are proactively engaging with businesses to make them aware of these supports. The Government will not be found wanting when it comes to resourcing and supporting Irish SMEs, which are the backbone of the economy.

One of my key jobs at the European Union table, as Europe Minister of State, is working on what is called "simplification" which is basically reducing red tape for businesses, including SMEs. That is a big project under way at the moment and I think it should get strong support from across the House. We are fourth in the world competitiveness rankings. Yes, we have difficulties and the Opposition outlines them all of the time but we are very competitive.

Our membership of the EU makes us part of a growing network of EU free trade agreements. EU free trade agreements support more opportunity for exports and investment; help to support jobs and growth at home; maintain strict EU standards on food safety, animal and plant health; and support better environmental and human rights standards around the world because it is at times like this that we are reminded of the importance of agreeing and strengthening new and existing free trade agreements. Of course, Deputy Tóibín and the entire Opposition utterly opposed the free trade agreement with Canada. In fact, some parties told us it was a threat to our national sovereignty. What the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, was doing was giving new opportunities to indigenous enterprises and service providers from Ireland to operate in what is known as the friendliest country in the world-----

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