The European Commission has published taxation statistics for the European Community in relation the period from 1995 to 2005.

Ireland had one of the lowest tax to GDP ratios in 2005 of 32.2%. Sweden had the highest ratio at 52.1%.

Further information is available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=STAT/07/41&format=HTML&aged=0&language=en&guiLanguage=en.

According to a recent OECD report on Taxing Wages, the tax wedge in Ireland is 2.3% for a one-earner married couple on average earnings with two children.

Tax wedges result from the combined effects of a range of policy instruments at the disposal of governments: personal income tax, employee and employer social security contributions, payroll taxes and cash benefits.

Further information is available at http://www.oecd.org/document/9/0,2340,en_2649_37427_38168393_1_1_1_37427,00.html.