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Noonan: US Senate is "misleading" the world on Ireland's tax rate

The finance minister says the supposed ’2 per cent’ tax rate wrongly implies that Apple’s global profits are all taxable here.

MICHAEL NOONAN has said a United States Senate report into Ireland’s corporate tax – and how the Irish taxation system is used by companies like Apple – is “misleading”.

The finance minister says claims that Ireland has an effective 2 per cent rate of tax for Apple is based on a flawed premise, and again insisted that Ireland does not negotiate with individual companies to decide how much tax they should pay.

Noonan told the Dáil this evening that the ’2 per cent’ rate was calculated by taking Apple’s Irish tax bill as a percentage of its total global profits – and therefore wrongly claimed that Ireland could tax all of Apple’s profits worldwide.

“Companies that are not tax resident in Ireland are no more chargeable… than in the United States,” Noonan said.

“It is clearly wrong and misleading to attribute this tax of tax to Ireland.”

The minister told Labour backbenchers Ann Phelan and Robert Dowds that tax avoidance by international companies was a concern, however, and that governments around the world were “now taking coordinated actions to ensure that corporations pay their fair share of tax”.

Dowds called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who will be attending next month’s G8 summit in Fermanagh as Ireland holds the EU Presidency, to ensure that an international campaign against tax avoidance was discussed at the summit.

Read: Leaders back EU’s plan to attack ‘tax planning’ by the end of 2013

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41 Comments
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    Mute Kevin.N
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    May 23rd 2013, 4:47 PM

    It would be suicide to higher the corporate tax rate on this small island.

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    Mute Keith Twamley
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    May 23rd 2013, 4:52 PM

    Nobody is talking about raising it, I think what is being suggested is that we properly enforce the one we have.

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    May 23rd 2013, 4:54 PM

    Personally, I’d raise it. But for a start let’s actually make then pay the measly 12.5%.

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    Mute Frank Buffalo
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:07 PM

    We do properly enforce the one we have.
    Do you really know what you are talking about?

    42
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    Mute Keith Twamley
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:25 PM
    18
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    Mute Mary Ward
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:53 PM

    Perhaps and more than likely that USa will take that decision out of our hands – Irish hand. It is their own Tax Code . Google and these mutinationals are American always were and always will be and have no objection to that at all what I do object to is the lack of faith we have in ourselves and the way we manage and conduct including the people we elect on trust to public office and the time spent with our money on personal affairs. while central banks telling nation that banks are around 20 billion short of being able to deal with mortgage arrears . Who pay them banks then – ? The government biggest sin was refusing or being unable to be honest and open with the nation about the costs of the banks on us . M Noonan that banks need to increase rate for TAXPAYER – when he signed a deal with EU pledging 24 billion of money borrowed by state paid by taxpayers an then they tell dail that none of its business. Didn’t doesn’t seem to bother TDs that we elect them and trust them with overseeing how Govt uses the public funds / What a let down.

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    Mute Frank Buffalo
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    May 23rd 2013, 6:46 PM

    Well said Keith.
    Now I know you don’t know what your talking about.

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    Mute Keith Twamley
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    May 23rd 2013, 9:13 PM

    “AOI accounts for almost a third of Apple’s total profits.

    The second company, ASI, does make an Irish tax return, but in 2011 paid corporation tax of just $10m on profits of over $22bn – an effective tax rate of 0.05%.”

    Your maths obviously isn’t too good Frank, tell me how the above filed return yielded 12.5%?

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    Mute Getard Lanslanger
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    May 23rd 2013, 10:54 PM

    So Keith do you thing Apples profits based on sales in Ireland were 22bn? FactualFranks post is the best overall summary of what is happening. Until you have Apples Corporation Tax calculation, based on their actual return, in front of you then it is all idle speculation. I can guarantee you that no US or German government minster has this information. If they had they wouldn’t make such ill informed comments. The US Senator should focus more on why the US hasn’t signed up to international money laundering regulations and that NY State is where a very high % of the money laundering takes place due to its favourable laws.

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    Mute Keith Twamley
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    May 23rd 2013, 11:29 PM

    I don’t think they make €22bn in Ireland, but they registered two companies in Ireland for the purposes of funnelling all their European profit through them, why can’t we tax it?

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    Mute Frank Buffalo
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    May 24th 2013, 10:20 AM

    Stop now, you’re embarrassing yourself.

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    Mute Tom Newell
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    May 23rd 2013, 4:41 PM

    And this government are experts on misleading people, tell me noonan did ye get pat rabbite to watch the senate hearings since he admitted the government lied to get into power, talk about stupidity lads come on!

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    Mute Nigel O'Neill
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    May 23rd 2013, 10:39 PM

    Pot calling kettle black!?!?

    1
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    Mute CD
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    May 23rd 2013, 11:37 PM

    Think back to your school days. Think of the stupidest guy in your class. The class clown. He is in the majority in the US House of Representatives… Enough said.

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    Mute Billy Kennedy
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    May 23rd 2013, 4:54 PM

    I wouldn’t say no to 2% of apples worldwide profits! ;)

    54
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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    May 23rd 2013, 4:43 PM

    It’s not misleading. Ireland is a tax haven.

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    Mute Frank Buffalo
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:02 PM

    A communist utopia is what you’d prefer Petr.

    24
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    Mute Leonard Washington
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:12 PM

    Oh noonan showing he got cajones,
    Pity he didn’t do it against the other vultures in country.
    Big accountantcy firms and European banks to name a few…

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:12 PM

    Translation: I don’t have an intelligent, informed point to make so I’ll post a smart comment instead.

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    Mute Matt
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:29 PM

    It’s hardly a tax haven. They have a lower C.T than most countries but every other country has a choice to lower C.T if they want.

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    May 23rd 2013, 6:07 PM

    Do your homework, Matt. Corporations elsewhere are laundering money through Ireland.

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    Mute Simon Gaites
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    May 23rd 2013, 6:15 PM

    Steady on there…now you’re confusing tax avoidance with money laundering. One is criminal, the other is not.

    28
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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    May 23rd 2013, 6:34 PM

    The impact is the same. Poor people get hammered with stealth taxes and cuts; rich people roar laughing over a bottle of the finest.

    Whose side are you on?

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    Mute Frank Buffalo
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    May 23rd 2013, 6:51 PM

    Petr even when you try the popular angle you are wrong.
    Without those “evil corporations” we would be un deeper crap than we are. They employ hundreds of thousands of people both directly and indirectly. Those companies are here for the favourable and legal tax rate.

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    May 23rd 2013, 4:41 PM

    “misleading” eh?

    48
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    Mute Gary dunn
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    May 23rd 2013, 6:31 PM

    Noonan is a bondholder. Stop misleading us and release the names who we are given all our money away to.

    27
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    Mute FactualFrank
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:16 PM

    Irish people are so stupid and naive. Ireland has a 12.5% corporation tax on profits only. Companies like Google and Apple to avail of this will cut down their profits further through setting up headquarters in even lower taxed countries mostly Holland where they can pay as low as 1.9%. Through these headquarters they then charge subsidaries licensing costs, interest on cross organisational loans and charging higher transfer prices between both companies. As they reduce their accountable profits they reduce their tax burden, its not illegal its just frowned upon. The government cannot do a thing about it. They pay 2% of their overall profits due to them paying 12.5% on their reduced profits. Idiots.

    41
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    Mute PADDY
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    May 24th 2013, 10:44 AM

    @FACTUAL FRANK

    all transfers between companies within the same group of companies if there is any profit has to be canceled when consolidating accounts of the group , you cannot sell to yourself , works the same for companies unless items are sold outside the group within the accounting period then the profit can be realized legally

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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    May 23rd 2013, 4:47 PM

    Sure they have to try and save some face before the shit hits the fan and the real truth comes out. Wouldn’t it be ironic to see the fools fall from power because a company is doing to them exactly what they’re doing to the people?

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    Mute Brendan
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:36 PM

    American and German politicians have politicians like Michael Noonan for breakfast…….

    22
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    Mute mr_bean_007
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:22 PM

    Does Noonan have shares in apple too?

    19
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    Mute Marc Power
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:38 PM

    Now Mr. Noonan. .. pick up the phone and tell that to the vote seeking clowns on capital Hill

    9
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    Mute Brendan
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:53 PM

    @ Marc

    Kenny and Noonan are afraid to take a proper swipe at John McCain and the US Senate committee. They can only attack easy targets. I’m enjoying how cowardly they are lately…

    19
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    Mute Mary Ward
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    May 23rd 2013, 5:55 PM

    What capital hll does for the US state is NONE OF KENNY OR NOONAN BUSINESS. oUT AFFAIRS IS THERE BUSINESS.

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    Mute Mary Ward
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    May 23rd 2013, 6:11 PM

    As to our business – we look very bad as a nation on the international stage – and not just as to tax laws.

    But closer to home – and taxpayers pockets = an agreement the Government made with the EU/IMF that was none of Dail Business (translated none of our business as TDs answerable only on door steps at election time)

    *Pledging 24 billion of the loan borrowed in taxpayer names to named banks and
    * merge INBS and Anglo Irish Banks

    The Government then unilaterally decided to renege and had TDs VOTE legislation to liquidate the banks they agreed to merge and incur the wrath of ECB on us. is this not sending out message to the international Community of a county that will enter into an agreement ( a loan agreement) charging public funds and then unilaterally breach and change the terms – I wonder did even one TD ever read that doc or were they too busy arguing toos of fines and licence fines.

    For not one either has challenged the authority of the Government to purport to bind the people to such an agreement to merge these banks and charge the public funds with 24 Billkion for more.

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    Mute Tom Brennan
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    May 23rd 2013, 8:48 PM

    @Marc

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    Mute Marc Power
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    May 23rd 2013, 10:22 PM

    Vlol … indeed

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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    May 23rd 2013, 8:29 PM

    Michael Noonan couldn’t explain how 2% was reached with a cue card which reads “1% + 1% = _%”

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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    May 23rd 2013, 9:15 PM

    For sure there is creative accounting going on with these companys, but the only thing wrong with that is that the rest of us (bar the self employed)dont have the same options,governments can be complete wasters with tax payers money,if the US didnt have so much money at its desposal its doubtfull they would have got involved in so many wars, Irish politicians under Bertie Aherne who were and still are some of the highest paid in Europe, thought that throwing taxpayers money at every problem was the answer,but we now know that it just creates massive problems for the future,people have every right to keep as much of their earned income in their pockets and out of the hands of politicians.

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    Mute Michael Fagan
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    May 24th 2013, 4:50 AM

    What’s is needed is full transparency and laws that are enforced, as soon as there broken.

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    Mute Joseph Mcpadden
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    May 24th 2013, 4:27 AM

    Its only a matter of time the swiss banks were hiding money from US authorities when UBS were told they would no longer be able to do business in the USA they would lose 80% of their business they complied.When the Irish Government is told the same they too will click their heels.Remember the fighting Irish is an American term nothing to do with Ireland but with the people who left.

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