The head of the Revenue Commissioners Josephine Feehily has said the EU will probably have some role in designing Ireland's new corporate tax policies.
Feehily added the EU will be among many bodies helping Ireland to create a new 'knowledge box'.
The proposals, announced in last week's Budget, will encourage companies to register patents in Ireland - meaning they would then pay tax to the Irish authorities for any money they make.
However, speaking at a conference on tax avoidance, Feehily noted she expects the EU to make sure Ireland is playing fair.