[donalm]

That's because Ireland has low corporation tax (12.5%) so multinational companies export their profits there and artificially inflate the GDP.

[salemh]

That may change however:

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republ...

"Ireland's low corporate tax level of 12.5% should be doubled to 25% as part of a common rate across Europe, a cross-party group of MEPs have said."

[vdm]

Agreed; isn't this why this discussion should use GNP? Or would that miss some other relevant detail?