Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Everybody would like a discussion on corporation tax and openness and transparency. As Mr. Barry O'Leary, chief executive of the IDA, and Senator Deirdre Clune have said, everything we do is open, out there and transparent, unlike some other countries. A debate on this issue, tabled many months ago, is taking place today in Europe. This story has been in the public domain and there is a concern about the erosion of the tax base in this country. I welcome a debate on the topic because it will show, as reported on"Today with Pat Kenny" this morning, that Ireland is boxing fairly and very cleverly. We are in a global moveable feast in which companies can move just like that. One must be open and transparent but one must be clever and fair when doing it. It would be most welcome to debate the issue.

I wish to raise the issue of openness and transparency in Government. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter has been described by a very critical journalist as one of the best reforming Ministers that we have had in the Department of Justice and Equality. Such a comment from Mr. Vincent Browne is, I think, worth something.