A company called Apple Operations International, AOI, operates an Irish subsidiary in this country that pays little or no tax on profits in Ireland or the United States. AOI has not filed tax returns in any country om the past five years, despite income of approximately €23 billion between 2009 and 2012 according to the Senate investigation. While I fully respect, understand and appreciate that any government has a responsibility to ensure foreign direct investment continues and I value, like everybody on both sides of the House, the enormous contribution Apple has made to improving the workforce in this country and the tax it pays here and I have no doubt it pays tax-----

The Senator is way over time.

I ask for the Minister for Finance to come before the House at the earliest opportunity. There is a concern about the adverse image this is having abroad on the Irish.

The Senator is way over time.

Last weekend there was a report and a headline in the Financial Times, a much-read newspaper internationally, which was particularly damaging to Ireland and Ireland's image in the corporate field.

The Senator is way over time.

I urge the Minister for Finance to come to the House or issue a statement that would address the issues that have been raised.