Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

Obviously, I was aware of the recommendation made to the European Union by the Standing Order 103 Select Committee of the Dáil. That we lost the vote there does not bode well for the future of the consolidated corporation tax base we currently enjoy. Frau Merkel and Monsieur Sarkozy are writing common letters because they want this issue to be resolved before 2012. They want to help their own financial situations to the detriment of Ireland. It sounds like we are going down the road of a Europe dominated by two countries, France and Germany. When the Minister meets his Cabinet colleague, he should remind him of the need to build a broad coalition with other countries that have expressed concern about this. I ask the Minister to respond on this issue. Does he agree that although we have won the battle on the corporation tax rate itself, the Germans and the French are proposing to get around the issue, in effect, by formalising the consolidated corporation tax base across Europe? Essentially, Ireland will lose out in such circumstances. Will the Minister comment on that?