Ireland can always count on Europe’s help. This is the key message that French President Emmanuel Macron delivered in Dublin during his first visit to Ireland since taking office. “Solidarity with Ireland is a fundamental question of maintaining unity in the European Union.”

But between Macron and Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin it has opened the question of taxing not only roses but also tech giants, with Ireland taxing only 12.5%, with 130 countries in the world. The agreement was signed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development at a global minimum rate of 15%.

“In terms of economic growth, Ireland has achieved extraordinary results over the last ten years – the French president recalls – but now things have clearly changed. The world after Covid is a new world that will require a profound change in our traditional economic model.”

However, it is hard to imagine that Ireland would want to turn its back on companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook, assuming that one-third of Irish workers are employed by multinational companies. At present, it is unlikely to meet Macron’s requirements.