Irish PM defends country's corporation tax arrangements

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny has defended his country’s low rate of corporation tax, currently set at 6.25%, and Dublin’s arrangements with global corporations which house subsidiaries in the country.

Over the last decade, major corporations such as Google and Dell have created corporate subsidiaries in Ireland, allegedly for the purposes of lowering their tax exposure.

Speaking at the Confederation of British Industry’s annual conference in London, Kenny said, "We've been very conscious of the debate. We're very happy and would defend our position very strongly. It is enshrined in law, transparent and accountable across all sectors."

Earlier, the Irish PM refused to be drawn into the UK’s referendum on Europe. “As London’s biggest trading partner, and the only EU state which shares a land border with it – we would like the UK to stay within the European Union. However, the decision to stay within the EU or leave was one for British people to make.”

However, Kenny added that Dublin would be “sympathetic and supportive towards any achievable adjustments" his British counterpart David Cameron wanted from the European Union.