French politician reveals disquiet over Ireland's corporation tax rate

A critical summit of European leaders gets underway in Brussels later in a bid to save the single currency.

A plan, drawn up by Germany and France, has already been sent to the European Commission President Herman Van Rompuy.

Divisions remain over whether or not a new EU Treaty is needed and Britain has a number of concerns about a rescue pact.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny may have committed to maintaining Ireland's low corporate tax rate of 12.5% in the Budget, but it seems there is still some disquiet over the issue in France.

Jacques Myard, a French MP and member of President Sarkozy's ruling UMP party, has said French people feel very strongly about the issue.

"How is it that we are helping, for instance Ireland, that they are getting from Brussels our money.

"Some people say 'Okay, we help you, but you also have to help yourself by raising your own taxes and not having a kind of advantage which is unfair competition to our enterprise'."