Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

It applies to both indigenous and foreign direct investment. It is crucial to the success story of foreign direct investment. I am only at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment since December, but as Minister for Education and Science and also as Minister for Health and Children I dealt with multinational companies. From my experience, the message is clear — without the corporation tax rate we would not make a shortlist of three. Skills, infrastructure and a range of other issues must be satisfactory. Countries outside the European Union are offering zero tax rates. To my knowledge, no country inside the EU offers this rate. Romania's rate is approximately 16%.