@Eire: what will you tell them when unemployment rising and tax intake falls after we up their tax rate?

@Ben: the “Apple Tax” has more to do with Margaret Vestiger’s political ambition than anything else.

@Eire: tell that to the thousands of people earning a good wage and paying taxes when they lose their jobs after Apple leaves Ireland…

@Eire: Yes and also the fellas in Mayo picking potatoes because its just about as relevant The apple tax will net a once off payment of 13 Billion but will have a detrimental effect on the collection of 10 Billion annually The budget for health in Ireland has doubled since the early 2000′s and there is no improvement so how do you think spending even more money will improve it now We spend the 5th highest per Gdp in the world as it is. The health service can only be fixed with a bit or organisation and standing up to vested interests including the clergy, unions, parish pump politicians and many more but no political party has had to bottle to do it yet

@Ben: But how much of that annual 10 Billion you say is threatened was from multinationals only here for tax breaks? If that is the total figure then probably not much of it is at risk as all as those mobile multinationals probably don’t pay a lot. There are even Irish companies with ‘head offices’ abroad for tax reasons. Making corporations pay tax where profit is earned is important as a matter of principle as much as for financial reasons.

@Bluey: it is the rate but there are circumstances and complicated tax implications in which companies can pay less. Irish companies can also avail of this. Would I rather they all paid the 12% rate? Yes of course i would but let me ask you this, Have you been to Wigan or Salford? Cause that’s what Ireland would be like if multinationals leave here so if they have the tax expertise to pay lower rates and that keeps them employing 1000′s in Ireland I’m happy with thar

@Fergus Sheahan: I agree that the economy has been greatly boosted employment wise by multinationals. But Ireland could do with the tax money to be frank. Our healthcare and public services are piss poor. “Little or no tax” isn’t good enough when these are some of the biggest companies in the world.

@Bluey: perfect world vs actual world, without our light touch on tax they’ll go and take 3 generations worth of Irish people with them. Its big boys rules we need them more than they need us so they are holding the cards, we have to take a few hits but the benefits far outweigh the negatives of having them here

@Dave Doyle: lots of ordinary people are employed by multinationals and lots of these “ordinary” people as you call them have gone on to do extraordinary things either inside multinationals or out on their own, What should the state do, Should they take over US companies like Ruth Coppenger suggested with Dell? Strange she doesn’t mention that so much these days

@Fergus Sheahan: “little or no tax” . Come on Fergus

@Ben: 10 billion doesn’t even pay the HSE.

@Dave Doyle: So do you want foreign multinationals to pay for our health service? What kind of health service education service and social welfare service would we have if they decided to go somewhere else. The corporation tax is only half the story what about the income tax their workers pay and the vat on goods and services they buy. Try running the country with that? Portugal with no sunshine

@Dave Doyle: we raise more in coporation taxes that most other European countries. Raising taxes isnt the same thing as raising more revenues.

@Unitedpeople:those same loop holes and tax schemes are available to all, is that not fair

@Fergus Sheahan: Debatable – but even if true (and no one has shown evidence of this yet), the big corporations are the ones getting away with it far more.

@Unitedpeople: FG had nothing to do with this Almost all countries have the same rules .That is how Donald Trump didn’t pay tax for years He went bankrupt years ago and was able to carry the losses forward. In Ireland only companies can do it