Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I, too, am concerned about the Apple situation and I agree with other speakers. This relates to both the integrity of our tax system and the integrity of our country abroad. We in this House and people all over Ireland benefit from the enormous advances in technology as a result of Apple, such as iPads, iPhones, and that type of thing. As a company, Apple has been ground-breaking in what it has achieved in the advancement of technology internationally. I am concerned by any proposal or suggestion that a 2% tax rate applies to Apple that is not applicable to other companies.

Irrespective of job creation and while acknowledging anybody who creates jobs, one cannot have a have a tax system that is not a level playing pitch.

I respectfully propose that the Leader would suggest that theMinister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, should go to America to clear the record by giving evidence to the Senate committee. At the end of the day, the integrity of the country internationally is at stake. I have no doubt there has been some misunderstanding, given the Government's statements today on the 12.5% tax rate. The issue needs to be cleared up. If it means a senior Minister must travel to the United States to give evidence to contradict the evidence being given by executives from Apple to this committee, that must happen for the sake of the integrity of Ireland and the Irish tax system.