Vol. 533 No. 6
203 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the discussions he has had with his EU colleagues in regard to encouraging economic development within the Union with particular reference to taxation policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10031/01]
As the Deputy will be aware, I have outlined my views to colleagues on a number of occasions concerning the role of Irish economic policy, including tax policy, in our sustained economic growth.
To make the point more clearly, I circulated to colleagues at ECOFIN on 12 February last a table showing Irish economic and fiscal performance compared to all other member states, noting in particular that Ireland has the lowest tax burden as a percentage of GDP in the EU. The following is an updated copy of this table for the information of the Deputy.
|
Year 2000 except where otherwise stated |
IRL |
F |
D |
I |
E |
UK |
DK |
S |
Fin |
P |
NL |
B |
A |
L |
EL |
|
Budget Surplus/ Deficit as a % GDP *(1) |
4.6* |
1.4 |
1 |
1.3 |
0.3 |
1.1 |
2.7 |
3.4 |
4.5 |
1.5 |
1 |
0.1 |
1.7 |
3 |
0.8 |
|
Debt as a %GDP *(2) |
39 |
58.4 |
60 |
112.1 |
61.1 |
40.1 |
48.3 |
58.9 |
42.4 |
55.6 |
56.6 |
110.6 |
63.1 |
5.6 |
103.9 |
|
Reduction in Debt as a % of GDP1999/ 2000 *(2a) |
11.1 |
0.5 |
1.1 |
3 |
2.2 |
5.6 |
4.3 |
6.8 |
4.2 |
0.2 |
6.3 |
5.3 |
1.5 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
|
Government Expenditure as % GDP *(3) |
32.3 |
53 |
45.9 |
47.2 |
40 |
37 |
54.1 |
57.7 |
49.5 |
46.4 |
45.4 |
49.8 |
52 |
42.3 |
44.8 |
|
Tax as % GDP *(4) |
33.9 |
49.8 |
46.4 |
46.3 |
38.8 |
40.6 |
55.2 |
58 |
50.9 |
42.1 |
45.9 |
49.8 |
48.3 |
47.4 |
42.8 |
|
Real GDP Growth *(5) |
10.7 |
3.3 |
3.1 |
2.9 |
4.1 |
3.1 |
2.6 |
4 |
4.8 |
3 |
4.3 |
3.9 |
3.5 |
7.8 |
4.1 |
|
Unemployment Rate *(6) |
3.8 |
8.7 |
7.8 |
10.1 |
13.7 |
5.4 |
4.7 |
5.4 |
9.4 |
4.4 |
2.8 |
6.8 |
3.7 |
2.1 |
11.2 |
|
Inflation (HICP yoy Jan 01) *(7) |
3.9 |
1.4 |
2.2 |
2.7 |
3.8 |
0.9 |
2.3 |
1.6 |
2.9 |
4.4 |
4.5p |
2.8 |
2.2p |
2.9 |
3.2 |
