This afternoon Cabinet members have unanimously agreed to appeal the Apple tax ruling.
Following Wednesday’s announcement by the European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, that Apple owed the Irish State roughly €13 billion in unpaid taxes, ministers have been meeting various tax experts and consultants in a bid to explore the various issues and implications involved.
The Fine Gael and Independent Alliance ministers had a cabinet meeting today which started at 12pm and finished with the announcement that they intend to support the challenge put forward by tech giant Apple.
Although it was reported by the press earlier in the week that Independent Ministers Shane Ross and Katherine Zappone were having reservations about the challenge and supportive of ‘tax justice’, critics now believe this was just a face saving exercise.
Shane Ross says there was and is no division within the indept alliance on #Appletax & no friction with FG @rtenews pic.twitter.com/0zqDG9LefU
— Martina Fitzgerald (@MartinaFitzg) September 2, 2016
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan had been public about his intentions to appeal the EU ruling, stating that if they take the money, they are conceding to the EU and their beliefs on illegal state aid.
The appeal will be drafted by Attorney General Máire Whelan. The Dáil is set to be recalled on Wednesday to debate and vote on a motion endorsing the position.
Apple boss Tim Cook yesterday described the finding as ‘political crap’.
The Labour Party and Fianna Fáil have come out in support of an appeal against the judgement while Sinn Féin, Anti-Austerity Alliance, The Social Democrats and The Green Party are backing the initial EU ruling.
Here is the initial Twitter reaction
Independent Alliance: Radical or redundant?
"You ARE the weakest link, goodbye"#AppleTax
— John Collins (@HangBlaa) September 2, 2016
'Such unfair deals must never happen again': Government to appeal Apple tax ruling https://t.co/X2s6IrSwn3
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) September 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/AodhBC/status/771688982107291651
People will not let govt forget this #AppleTax decision. Let them try to justify any new tax or cutback.
— Paul Murphy 🏳️⚧️ (@paulmurphy_TD) September 2, 2016
