Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the comments made, particularly by Members on the other side of the House, on the bungling incompetence by Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI. Senator Whelan's contribution was particularly good and I agree with him. Many Senators could not wait to get out the door to criticise local authorities and VECs on what they deemed to be the incompetent handling of student grants over the years. The proof has been laid bare. Where is the incompetence now? The buck stops with the Minister and he should come here to answer my query.

Members will also be aware that in the past few days there have been a series of parliamentary investigations into the payment or non-payment of tax by multinationals in Britain. The matter is of particular importance to this country because some of the companies seem to operate successfully here yet pay very little tax. Amazon, Starbucks and Google have been the subject of parliamentary investigations in the UK primarily because they have paid no tax. Corporation tax is a sacred cow and one never hears it being raised by politicians in either House. The defence used is that they create a large number of jobs in this beleaguered economy and contribute tax domestically due to their large workforces. I applaud that but I do not want my remarks to be misinterpreted. Storm clouds are gathering in Europe while the Government attempts to get a modus vivendi from its European partners in order to reduce an unsustainable bank debt. In the past few weeks during discussions with the Minister for Finance, Ireland's corporation tax has been raised again. That pressure will continue. There has been a deafening silence, not only from these Houses, but by the Irish media on the question that was asked by Deputy Boyd Barrett which revealed that the multinationals do not pay 12.5% in corporation tax.

They are paying as little as 4% or 5% tax. Were I asked the question-----