Corporate tax policy ‘will not change’

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned EU officials that Ireland remains “committed to our stable and competitive tax regime” and has no intention of changing our coveted corporate tax policy.

Speaking at the opening of US multi-national firm LinkedIn’s new Europe, Middle East and African section headquarters in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said that despite renewed pressure from Brussels there is no reason to alter Ireland’s existing tax rules.

In his state of the union speech last Wednesday, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker hit out at Ireland’s coveted 12.5% corporate tax system, saying “harmonisation” of tax levels must take place across the EU.