Apple tax ruling: Government urged to spend money on people most in need

Faced with a €13bn windfall after the EU ruling on Apple’s tax affairs, carer Louise O’Reilly knows exactly what the Government should do with the money: Spend it on pensioners who are struggling to get by.

In fact the penalty, which the European Commission has ordered Apple to pay as back taxes to Ireland, would cover the country’s entire annual health-service bill or 6% of its national debt.

However, the Government is to fight the ruling, fearful it might jeopardise its ability to attract multinationals, many of which come to Ireland for its low rates of corporation tax, although a victory in court would mean the Government forgoing Apple’s money.