We are frequently genuinely and understandably concerned with the lack of accountability that exists in much of our political and administrative public bodies. 

Pharmaceutical giant Merck’s announcement of 330 jobs for Cork and Carlow is evidence that multinationals’ fear of US president Donald Trump’s policies are easing — but there could be a threat to Ireland looming from French president Emmanuel Macron, an economist has warned.

EU finance ministers have agreed to close a loophole that allowed multinationals to avoid paying corporate taxes, in part by funnelling profits through Ireland.

Pierre Moscovici, head of tax at the European Commission, was in Dublin yesterday and said he was open to compromises that would help encourage Ireland to buy into Brussels’ new tax proposal that aims to share out Europe’s corporate tax spoils.

The EU’s economics commissioner Pierre Moscovici has said Brussels will “do everything to preserve” the North’s peace agreement and its “special” position once Brexit negotiations begin with Britain.

The EU’s economics commissioner has said Brussels will "do everything to preserve" the North’s peace agreement and its "special" position once Brexit negotiations begin with Britain, writes Juno McEnroe of the Irish Examiner.

The European Commission's plans to introduce a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) across the European Union could destroy Ireland's tax take, UCC economist Seamus Coffey has warned.

As we all know, or at least should realise, foreign direct investment is an incredibly important component of Ireland’s economic model and structure.

The EU’s tax chief has appealed for a “serene” response from Ireland on the bloc’s latest corporate tax overhaul, saying he’s not out to harm the country’s business model.

The European commissioner for tax affairs has hit out at Ireland’s “strange” decision to appeal the €13bn Apple tax ruling as he confirmed Brussels is considering establishing a “European black list of tax havens” to tackle tax evasion within their borders.

The Government in its push back was telling anyone who was listening that the Apple case did not involve an assault on Ireland’s 12.5% headline corporate rate and that it had done no wrong in its dealings with the tech giant over the last 15 years.

Making a start in phasing out the Universal Social Charge — a key commitment in the Programme of Government — would cost the exchequer hundreds of millions of euro in lost revenue next year and cost as much as €1.86bn over four years.

The Fine Gael MEP group has today confirmed its opposition to proposals contained in a new EU report, saying it represents a further EU push for tax harmonisation.

Multinationals should pay a withholding tax before moving their profits out of EU countries to ensure they are being taxed somewhere, according to a draft report from the European Parliament.

A fresh drive by the European Commission to ensure companies pay their tax where they make their profits could have far-reaching consequences for Irish corporate tax revenue.

THE revised bailout terms agreed for Ireland in Brussels on Thursday “will mean nothing” unless the Government can inject life into the economy.

EU leaders were accused of just buying time and not resolving the Greek debt problem, amid warnings that their agreement reached in Brussels last night will keep the spotlight on the euro and on weaker countries like Ireland.

THE EU has been accused of “ripping off” Ireland because of the €9 billion in profit it stands to make from the bailout loans it is providing to the state.

EU LEADERS are set to approve a lower interest rate for any country borrowing from the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF).

CUTTING the interest rate on the country’s bail-out loan will be top of the agenda when Taoiseach Enda Kenny meets EU president Herman Van Rompuy in Dublin today.

EFFORTS to ensure Ireland is not forced to increase its corporation tax rate took a significant step forward at the weekend.

IRELAND’S gross domestic product is expected to have contracted for the third year running in 2010.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has claimed he will bring reality to the debate on Irish corporation tax rates.

SWEDEN’S finance minister Anders Borg has come out in favour of low corporation tax rates, saying raising them would be dangerous for the Swedish industry.

A COMMON EU-wide corporate tax system would save companies €1.3 billion in the first year but would cause a loss of revenue to member states, according to the European Commission.

Employers' group IBEC today said that proposals published by the European Commission for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) are unlikely to make the EU more attractive as an investment location.

The push for a common corporate tax base ignores the real problem of tax competitiveness in the EU, writes Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill

EVERYBODY will welcome as sensible that the incoming coalition government will have a minister responsible for heading up reform of how they do business.

EUROPE-wide rules on taxing companies is necessary to improve the EU’s economy, Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said just days after the Government submitted a study saying it would not benefit Ireland.

IRELAND’S tax rate is not under threat, according to the Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Minister Batt O’Keeffe and the Chartered Accounts of Ireland.

PROPOSALS for a harmonised corporation tax rate across Europe will be detrimental to Irish businesses, according to the country’s largest accountancy body.

FINANCIAL services is now more likely to be included in plans for an EU-wide common base for calculating corporation tax, given the current economic crisis, according to European Commission sources.

CHIEF executives are less confident about the economy than last year but most still expect profit and revenues to grow, according to research on their attitudes.

ANTI-Lisbon treaty group Libertas yesterday claimed Fine Gael and Labour “simply could not be trusted” to defend Ireland’s business tax regime which has proved so beneficial to the economy.

IN business terms, it’s a no-brainer. The country which charges the lowest rate of tax on your profits is always going to be an attractive place in which to do business.