Facebook denies avoiding paying tax on Irish earnings

Facebook Ireland has denied avoiding tax despite paying only a fraction on record revenues of nearly €8bn last year. A spokesperson for the social media giant’s Irish operations yesterday said “we do not avoid tax”.

Newly filed accounts show revenues and pre-tax profits, at Facebook’s main Irish subsidiary, soared to record levels last year.

However, Facebook Ireland Ltd’s 2015 tax bill, of €16.53m, represented a tiny fraction of its record revenues of €7.89bn.