Government will have to scrap ‘double Irish’ system

The Government will be forced to scrap the tax arrangement known as the “double Irish” in order to avoid criticism of the country’s tax system, says one of the most senior tax experts in the country.

The tax consultant, who did not want to be named, claimed that the “double Irish” and another controversial tax mechanism known as the “Dutch-Irish sandwich” would be gone within 18 months.

This complex mechanism enables an Irish onshore company to make royalty payments to an offshore Irish company, which in the case of Apple is based in Bermuda. It has been the subject of much criticism.