IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-KJF4 * Jobs + Findajob.ie + Search Jobs + Advertise a Job + Upload CV + Career Advice + Education & Training * Cars + CarsIreland.ie + Used Car Search + Car Dealers * Homes + Globrix.ie + Buy Property + Rent Property + Advertise Properties * Deals + Grabone.ie + Dublin + Cork + Galway + Limerick + Kerry + South East + GrabOne Escapes + GrabOne Store * Dating + TheMeetingPoint.ie + Mature + Gay * Death Notices + Announcement.ie + Deaths + In Memoriam + Book a Notice * Book an Ad + Book a Print Ad + Book an Online Ad * Google+ * Facebook * Twitter independent Tuesday 31 December 2013 Icon Hi °C | Lo °C Change * Athlone * Bray * Cork * Drogheda * Dundalk * Galway * Kilkenny * Limerick * Navan * Waterford * News + Irish News o Courts o Irish abroad + World News o Europe o Americas o Middle East o Africa o Asia-Pacific + Opinion o Letters o Columnists o Editorial o Analysis o Comment + Local Papers + Weather o Upload your Weather photos FG to boost Labour's European bid with vote deal Man charged over 13-hour gun siege appears in court Driving licence deal with Canadian cities on cards for 2014 Pope Francis nominated for Tipperary peace award Bonuses on the way back for more public servants Mortgage demand up 10pc as recovery gains ground LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 16: Actor Michael Palin attends 'Life of Brian' was true, theologian swears on Bible * Sport + Soccer o Premier League o Champions League o League of Ireland + Gaelic Football + Hurling + Rugby o Autumn Internationals o Rabodirect PRO 12 o Heineken Cup + Golf + Horse Racing + Greyhounds + Other Sports o Cycling Contracts must be sorted sooner -- Gibbes The teacher's pets, class clowns and the ones who must do better United facing fierce fight to get hands on £20m Saints defender Shaw The good, the bad and the ugly of 2013 Penney ready to make tough calls Wenger still keen to snap up Madrid hitman Morata Rory McIlroy looks dejected The good, the bad and the ugly of 2013 * Business + The Budget + Irish + World + Technology o Gaming + Farming + Small Business + Media + Personal Finance o Latest News o Property & Mortgages o Pensions + Commercial Property Reward for investors as Irish bonds among top performers in the world Italian bank is urged to complete €3bn cash call Tax rates 'an impediment to entrepreneurs' It's music to their ears as royalties hit high of €32m Strong year for the ISE as index beats major markets Crocs sniff $200m investment boost Lead singer Bono of Irish rock band U2 performs a concert at the Olympic stadium in Turin...Lead singer Bono (C) of Irish rock band U2 performs a concert at the Olympic stadium in Turin, northern Italy August 6, 2010. U2 singer Bono is ready to rock after back surgery sidelined him for two months, and forced the band to postpone its North American tour by a year to May 2011. The Irish rockers began the second European leg of their It's music to their ears as royalties hit high of €32m * Woman + Celeb News + Photos + Videos + Fashion + Beauty + Diet & Fitness + Love & Sex + Horoscopes + Competitions New Year's resolutions you should be making New Year, New You' that's how the old adage usually goes, and with it comes a list of resolutions Daring to bare Supermodel Candice Swanepoel poses nude for Vogue Brazil The world's poshest friendship The Duchess of Cambridge has reportedly been bonding with Victoria Beckham over decorating LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 27: Singer Katy Perry attends the opening of Celebrity sightings * Entertainment + Movies + Music + TV & Radio + Going Out + Festivals o Upload your festival photos + Books & Arts + Competitions + Horoscopes + Lotto + Crosswords & Puzzles Netflix: 470 films and TV shows to vanish in January Queen's Brian May undergoes tests amid cancer fears Countdown to new year party begins Aniston, Bullock and Diaz team up for the 'mother of all comedies' [TICON-A VIDEO] Britney brings the circus to her two-year series of Vegas shows Idris Elba's long walk to stardom Beyonce had more than enough songs to choose from for her latest album Pop queen Beyoncé criticised over latest song * Lifestyle + Health o Eye Health o Mental Health + Mothers & Babies + Education + Food & Drink + Property & Homes + Motoring + Travel o Travel News o Inside Ireland o Destinations + ThreeTrending o News o Video + Christmas Why you just can't put down the crisps The silly list How to regift without getting caught The generation game 14 reasons to be cheerful in 2014 Joe O'Shea: I'm getting married in 10 days Christmas Tree and gift A single mum gives advice on Christmas * Videos * Photos Search ____________________ (BUTTON) Go Independent.ie› Business› Irish› Ireland not a tax haven, says OECD Comments * Email * Print * Font Size Pascal Saint-Amans /> Pascal Saint-Amans: keynote speaker at tax conference Peter Flanagan – 24 July 2013 IRELAND is not a tax haven, and there is little this country can do on its own to amend global tax laws, a senior OECD official said yesterday. Also in this section Strong year for the ISE as index beats major markets Firms seeking better phone deals Tax rates 'an impediment to entrepreneurs' Speaking at an Oireachtas sub-committee on global taxation, the OECD's director of its centre for tax policy and administration Pascal Saint-Amans said definitively that Ireland did not fill any of the relevant criteria for the OECD to class this state as a tax haven. "The definition for a tax haven that was internationally agreed classes it as a country with a zero tax rate, no transparency or exchange of information, and no real operations on the ground there," he said in response to a query from Fianna Fail's Michael McGrath. "Clearly Ireland does not fill those criteria," he said. Mr Saint-Amans said that the problems with the global tax system could not be addressed by a single country on its own. "These issues must be decided at an international level. A country can make some changes to its own laws, but there is little scope for significant changes to be made unilaterally. This problem needs a multilateral solution, he said. Mr Saint-Amans's appearance via video link – a first for the Oireachtas – came less than a week after the OECD published a new report into global corporate tax avoidance. That report made a number of recommendations that would force companies to pay more tax, but he made it clear those recommendations did not favour large countries over small or vice-versa. Download our Free iPhone App Now Download our Free iPhone App Now Download our Free Android App Now Download our Free Android App Now Comments * Email * Print * Font Size Stock market charts Data More in Irish (1 of 20 articles) Strong year for the ISE as index beats major markets Read More Also in this Section Barry O'Leary,CEO of the IDA at the IDA End of Year Briefing 2010 held at the IDA HQ,Wilton Place,Dublin yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 4/1/111 Tax rates 'an impediment to entrepreneurs' IRELAND's tax rates are an impediment to entrepreneurship and business start-ups, the Small Firms Association (SFA) has warned. Reward for investors as Irish bonds among top performers in the world IRISH bonds were among the top performing this year, according to a second gauge in a week. Strong year for the ISE as index beats major markets THE Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) was one of the top-performing markets in Europe this year, doing better than some of the major stock markets. Firms seeking better phone deals It's music to their ears as royalties hit high of €32m A year of drama over Nama and house prices beckons as Troika exits stage left It's Boomtown for Bob with €6m dividends The commercial property sector's €2bn bounce-back A wish list for Irish business in 2014 Classifieds CarsIreland [Any Make_____________] [Any Model] [Any Year] (BUTTON) Search Yourlocal What? (e.g. cafe, ba Where? (e.g. Galway, (BUTTON) Search Independent Shopping.ie Meet, chat and connect with singles in your area Independent Shopping.ie Meet Singles Now Findajob What (job title, ref Where_______________ (BUTTON) Search Apps Now available on * iPhone * Android * Breaking News * National * World * Sport * 02:02Outrage as Israel frees danger men * 01:47Rebel boss warned: We'll go for you * 01:07Plea to Obama over bomb probe death * 21:22Gardai appeal over gun murder * 20:42Wilkins returns to Fulham * 21:22Gardai appeal over gun murder * 16:22Fall in child offenders reported * 15:02Cancer sufferer backs TV campaign * 13:52Man charged after Andy Cole abused * 11:37Tourism sector sees solid progress * 02:02Outrage as Israel frees danger men * 01:47Rebel boss warned: We'll go for you * 01:07Plea to Obama over bomb probe death * 18:07Nigeria gunmen target Christians * 15:52Nikkei logs best year since 1972 * 20:42Wilkins returns to Fulham * 19:37Rodgers leaps to Suarez's defence * 19:37Hughes will not contest FA charge * 18:02Pulis eyes January bargains * 17:27Poyet sees key role for Fletcher Top Stories Barry O'Leary,CEO of the IDA at the IDA End of Year Briefing 2010 held at the IDA HQ,Wilton Place,Dublin yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 4/1/111 Tax rates 'an impediment to entrepreneurs' IRELAND's tax rates are an impediment to entrepreneurship and business start-ups, the Small Firms Association (SFA) has warned. Reward for investors as Irish bonds among top performers in the world IRISH bonds were among the top performing this year, according to a second gauge in a week. Strong year for the ISE as index beats major markets THE Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) was one of the top-performing markets in Europe this year, doing better than some of the major stock markets. Most Read 1. Irish man charged in connection with racial abuse of former Man Utd star Andy Cole 2. Schumacher 'fighting for his life' as he remains in induced coma 3. Death threats to pharmacy in nut tragedy row 4. ‘You’re a true gentleman.. I love you so much and I don’t know how I’m going to live without you’ 5. Suspects in Adrian Donohoe murder face being deported from US Daily Deals IFRAME: http://ie-main.cdn.grabone.com/advert/custom/dublin/serve-for/independe nt-ie/width/300/height/276 Independent Gallery EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 30: A man dressed as a Viking takes part in the torchlight procession as it makes its way through Edinburgh for the start of the Hogmanay celebrations on December 30, 2013 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Around 80,000 people are expected in the city for the traditional New Year celebrations, which run over three days. Tickets have been bought for the event by people from over sixty different countries. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Vikings galore for Edinburgh's Hogmanay Your photos Send us your weather photos promo Celebrity News Bon Jovi's worldwide tour grossed 259.5 million dollars (£158m) this year Rockers give gross a good name Bon Jovi have rocked their way to become the top tour of 2013 and a career high. One Direction's Midnight Memories has been crowned the UK's top-selling album of 2013 Midnight Memories top-selling album One Direction's Midnight Memories has been crowned the UK's top-selling album of 2013. Lily Allen has explained why she turned her back on the showbiz lifestyle, insisting it was very different to what she expected. Lily Allen: I've turned my back on the 'f***ing celebrity Botoxed idiots' Lily Allen thought fame would be brilliant so was disappointed to find herself surrounded by “sterile f**king Botoxed idiots that stank of desperation”. 21/12/2013. Pictured is actress and model Olivia Treacy at the Shelbourne hotel. Photo: El Keegan Former Miss Ireland Olivia Treacy on ageing gracefully, mature modelling and LA life THE blonde may be gone, but the sleek, silver hair has come to be a niche and a selling point. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - DECEMBER 05: Sarah Harding attends the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards at Victoria & Albert Museum on December 5, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images) Girls Aloud's Sarah Harding throws Twitter tantrum at 'tiny minds' Singer Sarah Harding has hit back at her critics, while her Voice of Ireland co-star Bressie soaks up the sun in Lanzarote. Ryan Phillippe's model romance heating up Ryan Phillippe is reportedly getting “serious” with his girlfriend. Iron Man 3 - starring Don Cheadle, Rebecca Hall, Sir Ben Kingsley and Robert Downey Jr - is the biggest grossing film of 2013 Iron Man 3 makes most money of 2013 Iron Man 3 has been named the highest-grossing film of 2013. Lynda Carter played Wonder Woman in the 1970s series Carter: Wonder Woman was thrilling Lynda Carter has revealed she never tried to play Wonder Woman as a sex symbol. David Tennant has no idea what the future holds for his Broadchurch character Tennant has no clue for Broadchurch David Tennant has admitted he is worried that his Broadchurch character may be killed off during the second series of the programme. Britt Ekland has revealed her joy at becoming a grandmother at the age of 71 My plastic surgery regret, by Britt Former Bond Girl Britt Ekland has revealed her regret over having plastic surgery and her joy at becoming a grandmother at the age of 71. By using this website you consent to our use of cookies. For more information on cookies see our Cookie Policy [cookie_bar_close.png] This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. 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