Keeping our corporate tax rate

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.

There are other factors in the decision where to locate, of course, such as an educated workforce and infrastructure, but a low corporate tax rate is always going to be among the most important. And Ireland has benefited hugely in recent years because of its corporate tax rate of just 12.5%.

In contrast, some other EU member states hit companies far harder: France’s corporation tax rate is just more than 34%, while in Belgium it is a fraction under 34%, and in the Netherlands it is 25.5%.