Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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146. To ask the Minister for Finance the progress on Ireland’s international tax treaty negotiations currently under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66500/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's long-standing tax treaty policy has been to expand, maintain, and enhance Ireland's tax treaty network to remove barriers and facilitate trade and investment opportunities between Ireland and partner jurisdictions.

In conducting a tax treaty there has to be sufficient trade, commercial, and economic reasons for doing so.

Tax treaties provide greater certainty and fairness for taxpayers regarding their tax obligations in foreign jurisdictions, and they are key to the prevention of double taxation. Furthermore, they provide for dispute resolution mechanisms and the exchange of taxpayer information to enhance tax transparency.

Ireland’s treaty base is extensive; Ireland has signed 78 tax treaties, of which 75 are currently in effect. Ireland has tax treaties with all EU Member States and all OECD member countries, bar the two newest members (Colombia and Costa Rica).

In June 2022, the Department of Finance published Ireland's tax treaty policy statement. This policy statement was developed following a public consultation with interested stakeholders and in coordination with other relevant Government Department.

The published policy statement sets out the broad parameters of Ireland's policy based on two central themes – consideration for Ireland's economy and trade, and recognition that different considerations apply to tax treaties with developing countries.

The priority, as per our Tax Treaty Policy statement, is to conclude treaties with G20 members, OECD and EU members, and accession states, as well as to update existing treaties.

Several of Ireland’s existing double tax agreements are over 40 years old and may not be fully in line with the provisions of more recent Irish treaties and current international norms. Some of these tax treaties may also be suitable for modernisation through renegotiation or the addition of protocols, taking due account of international tax developments.

Officials in the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners are working to progress this policy statement.

Ireland has a number of ongoing and potential negotiations at this time. It is Ireland's policy to treat plans or negotiations for tax treaties as confidential until they are signed, at which point they are published on Revenue's website. This is standard practice for most jurisdictions, which respects the confidential nature of the negotiation process.