Irish legislation is jeopardising the 12.5 per cent corporation tax rate while aiding the robbery of tax from poorer countries according to a report published on behalf of six leading global development organisations.
Speaking at the launch of the report this morning in Dublin the report’s author, Dr Sheila Killian of the University of Limerick, said that some multinational corporations are illegally diverting profits to Ireland from abroad in order to pay less tax and damaging Ireland’s international reputation.
Dr Killian maintained that by being perceived as a tax haven, Ireland will find it increasingly difficult to attract multinationals that are conscious of their global image.
She also pointed to the difficulties that have arisen recently between Ireland and other EU countries in negotiations to keep our corporate tax rate at 12.5 per cent.
The report advised that by becoming a leader on a fairer international tax system, Ireland would be in a better position to negotiate on the 12.5 per cent rate.
It claimed that a small but significant minority of companies, with vey little presence in Ireland - in terms of employment and manufacturing – are sold goods and services by foreign sections of the parent multinational. By subsequently selling on the produce from Ireland, these multinationals can avoid the higher tax rates in the country of origin. By doing so, they deprive the original country of its deserved and often much needed tax revenue.
While Ireland is compliant with OECD standards with regards to what is known as transfer pricing abuse, Dr Killian said that the current international standards were not good enough to tackle the issue and that Ireland should become a leader in the field. Presently, Irish legislation allows officials to act when transfer pricing abuse takes profit out of Ireland but not when the profit is coming into Ireland.
Dr Killian suggested that the legislation be changed to give the tax revenue office the power to act in both instances. She added that very little profit is likely to be moved out of Ireland due to the country’s low corporation tax rate. She also suggested that the international accounting standards be changed to a country by country system of reporting so examples of transfer pricing abuse could be highlighted easier.
The launch of Driving the Getaway Car? Ireland, Tax and Development was attended by several TDs including representatives of Labour, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the United Left Alliance.
The report is available for download at www.debtireland.org.
The six leading global development organisations represented in the report are Afri, Christian Aid, Comhlamh, Oxfam and Trocaire. The research for the report was co-ordinated by the Debt and Development Coalition.