asked the Minister for Finance the total amount of corporation profits tax paid by the Irish subsidiaries of the multi-national oil companies in the financial year ended March 1973 and for the period 1st April to 31st December 1973.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Oil Companies Tax Payments.
99.
It would be contrary to secrecy obligations to disclose any information about the liability to tax of a small group of companies. For that reason, I regret I cannot supply the information requested by the Deputy.
In view of the fact that it is recognised that these multi-national oil companies get away with little or no taxation in this country, what steps do the Department intend to take——
The Deputy will appreciate that this is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners, not for the Minister for Finance.
Is the Minister saying that this nation gets its fair share of taxation from the operations within the State of these companies?
That is a separate question.
I am satisfied that within the existing regime——
The Chair has ruled it to be a separate question.
Will the Minister say what steps he intends to take——
That is a separate question.
——to ensure that the £6 million windfall of profits because of the Government's inadequacy of control——
I have ruled this a separate question.