The Taoiseach has criticised much of the commentary around the Irish corporate tax rate.
Speaking at the second EU-Asia conference in Dublin, Enda Kenny defended our tax regime again after a US Senate Committee heard that Ireland had agreed a special tax rate with the computer giant Apple.
The US Senate report said the iPhone maker avoided paying tax by setting up companies in Ireland which paid little or no tax on sales of the company's products outside America. The report by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said Apple had agreed tax a rate of just 2% with the Irish government. That is well below the corporation tax rate of 12.5%.
In a statement the company says it does not use tax gimmicks. Apple employs 4,000 people at its European headquarters in Cork.
In testimony released on Monday the technology company also called for legislation "that dramatically simplifies the US corporate tax system".
It says this comprehensive reform should:
- Be revenue neutral
- Eliminate all corporate tax expenditures
- Lower corporate income tax rates
- Implement a reasonable tax on foreign earnings that allows free movement of capital back to the US
The Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told the US Senate earlier this week that his company had negotiated a 2% tax rate with the Irish government.
However the Taoiseach, Tanaiste as well as a number of Ministers have rejected the claim.
Our tax laws came under scrutiny at the European Council meeting as will those of Britain after questions were also raised their about the beneficial status being given to Google and other companies.
The Taoiseach said the Irish tax regime is fully transparent and he hit out at reports surrounding the findings of the Senate Committee.
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The Jobs Minister Richard Bruton has also defended the Irish tax system. In the Dail on Wednesday he said Ireland is clearly not - and never has been - a tax haven.
While Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore said earlier this week that any issues in relation to taxes of tech giant Apple is an issue for other jurisdictions.
