asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that vast amounts of money have been taken out of the country by commercial security companies (details supplied) in return for their services, but that they frequently show poor trading results, leaving them unable to pay national wage agreement increases to Irish employees and ineligible for corporation profits tax, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Commercial Security Companies.
5.
Any company, whether resident or nonresident, is liable to corporation tax on the profits of a trade carried on by it in the State. If the Deputy has information which indicates that the trading results shown by certain companies do not reflect their true profits from trading, I should be glad if he would furnish it. The principle of observing secrecy in relation to the taxation affairs of individual taxpayers would prevent the Revenue Commissioners from disclosing the tax paid by individual security companies.
Arising out of the Minister's extremely unsatisfactory answer, is he aware that the world and its mother know that the situation in regard to these private commercial security companies is scandalous having regard to the way they treat their employees, almost without exception? Would he be kind enough to bend his efforts to undertaking an investigation into the way the issues in this question are being dealt with by these companies rather than throwing the responsibility back to me? I have tried to supply him with the details I have, but from here on in it is his job. I would be grateful if he would indicate that he is interested in doing it.
I have no such knowledge as the Deputy imputes to me. So far as his question implies that companies of this kind are making large profits, taking them out of the country and not paying tax on them, if he has information to that effect he should furnish it.
Will the Minister be good enough to investigate the allegation I am making here today that employees in a number of security companies, which have been set up by anybody and everybody, and by a number of people who have no qualifications—quite the contrary—for being in the security business, are treated in a scandalous way which breaks every known code of honour and in many cases the law on the Statute Book?
The Deputy is well aware that it is not my function as Minister for Finance to deal with the treatment of such employees by way of payment of wages or otherwise.
Will the Minister investigate the taxation element?
I will, if I can get something to go on. Has the Deputy any information he can furnish even privately?
I will forward it to the Minister.
If the Deputy furnishes it privately I will certainly follow it up.