Photograph: iStockNegative perceptions other European governments have about Ireland’s low corporate tax rate remain a “challenge” for its reputation, an internal study on the Government’s diplomatic soft power found. “The negative perceptions of Ireland’s tax policy among EU colleagues, however, remain a challenge,” the department study said. The department had been successful at using the vast Irish diaspora in the US and other countries “to facilitate access and influence”. The internal study, completed in December 2023, was released under a Freedom of Information Act request. Diplomats were getting better at “leveraging” the State’s cultural offering, to work “on behalf of Ireland’s economic interests,” the study said.

Source: The Irish Times January 02, 2026 06:11 UTC