Sir, – Global companies have to base their companies somewhere and that place has to tick more than just a lower tax box. Effective rates of corporate tax in France can be lower than in Ireland but that would not be a reason to base your company there for a number of reasons, including punitive personal tax rates and a (self-acknowledged) heavy level of bureaucracy at local and national levels.
As we became more integrated within Europe, Ireland was always considered to be at risk of being on the periphery, but as a place to globally manage a business we tick some interesting boxes, such as a young and educated workforce, and a cluster of like-minded companies. We need to stop thinking that we are the cause of the woes of other countries and sit up and take responsibility for having developed an excellent small place to do big business.
We seem to be stuck between global envy and a national resentment at our own success. – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’CONNELL,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.