Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

158. To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 58 of 18 May 2016 the care he uses in gathering advice from the Revenue Commissioners and other independent taxation experts before his attendance at European Council meetings such as the Economic and Financial Affairs Council on 25 May 2016, where it is clear from his comments that he does not support the draft directive addressing tax avoidance practices commonly used by large companies which many, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, regard as a proper and effective plan to address issues of tax justice. [15055/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Commission's proposed Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive was discussed at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council on 25 May 2016. The Directive was proposed by the European Commission in January 2016 and includes six significant corporate tax anti-avoidance measures.  Three of the measures derive from the non-binding elements of the OECD BEPS process, with the remaining three measures coming from the European Commission's previous Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) Directive.

Ireland has been at the forefront of BEPS implementation and I have been very clear that I support the intention of this proposed Directive to tackle base erosion and profit shifting.  Ireland has engaged constructively in the negotiation of the Directive, while seeking to protect Ireland's long-term interests in key areas.  At the May ECOFIN meeting, while stating my support for the Directive, along with a number of other Ministers, I highlighted that further work was needed before it could be agreed.  My officials and I will continue to engage with the Presidency, the Commission and other Member States to try and reach an agreement which is acceptable to all Member States and ambitious in targeting base erosion and profit shifting.

The OECD carried out a significant volume of public consultation on the BEPS reports and a large number of Irish stakeholders engaged in this processes.  My Department also carried out a public consultation on the potential Irish impact of the BEPS proposals during 2014. The Revenue Commissioners are closely involved in this work at every stage to provide expert technical input. My Department also engages widely with a range of stakeholders on an ongoing basis on international tax issues.