Peadar Tóibín
Question:335. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the value of supports made available to Google and Apple from the Industrial Development Agency. [25940/13]
View answerTuesday, 28 May 2013
Questions (335, 336, 339, 341)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:336. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the value of supports made available to Apple Sales International from the Industrial Development Agency. [25941/13]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:339. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the advice offered to companies in the Apple group with regard to tax measures by the Industrial Development Agency or if they were referred to the Revenue Commissioners. [25944/13]
View answerPeadar Tóibín
Question:341. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the meetings between Industrial Development Agency officials and representatives or directors of Apple Operations Ireland or Apple Sales International. [25946/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 335, 336, 339 and 341 together.
Since establishing in Ireland in 2003, Google Ireland Limited was paid €7,500,000 in grant assistance from IDA Ireland. That company employs over 2,500 staff in this country. In the 33 years since establishing in Ireland, Apple’s entire operation has been paid €17,854,407 in grant assistance from IDA Ireland in support of its major corporate activities in Cork. That company employs approximately 4,000 staff in Ireland.
Given the number of employees working in each company in Ireland, if all were just earning the average wage then the tax revenue for the Exchequer each year would be of the order of €6,400 per worker in PAYE and USC payments or €41m per year in aggregate. This figure is likely to be much larger as staff at both these companies would likely be earning above the average wage.
In the course of its engagement with client companies, IDA Ireland provides general information to companies on the Irish tax regime. However the IDA is not a tax advisory body. Obviously companies and their financial advisors engage separately and directly with the Revenue Commissioners as required. IDA Ireland engages with corporate entities, as the primary decision makers around FDI investment. The Agency’s key focus is on maximising the level of economic activity and substance in Ireland from these corporations. Large companies generally have a significant number of subsidiaries within their overall corporate structure.
In relation to Apple, IDA Ireland’s engagement in the past 30 years is has been with Apple Corporate and with its Irish operation in Cork. Over this period, the Agency has met with Apple frequently in relation to the execution of its mandate. Distinctions would not normally be made as to whether or not specific subsidiaries might be involved in particular meetings.
Questions Nos. 337 and 338 answered with Question No. 333.
Question No. 339 answered with Question No. 335.
Question No. 340 answered with Question No. 333.