Doherty calls for inquiry into government’s ‘sweetheart’ deal with Apple

Sinn Féin Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD has said there must be an public inquiry to establish who facilitated the state’s sweetheart deal with Apple.

Deputy Doherty was speaking today after the EU Commission ruled that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to €13billion.

He said the government’s decision to appeal this ruling should be put to a vote in the Dáil and his party will be bringing forward a motion to oppose such an appeal.

Teachta Doherty said;

“Today’s ruling has shocked even those of us who have been watching this issue with a keen eye. Up to €13billion of tax has been lost as a result of a sweetheart deal with Apple. That is a massive amount of money and we must have a public inquiry to establish who facilitated this deal.”

“Given the state is chasing people who have not paid their water charges through the courts it is unimaginable that the government will appeal this ruling.”

“The government should accept the EU Commission ruling and impose the correct tax bill on Apple. Any decision to appeal the ruling should be put to a vote of the Dáil.”

“The argument made by government for appealing the ruling is to protect Ireland’s reputation but unfortunately the damage has already been done and an appeal has the potential to further damage our international reputation.”

“It is also very telling that the government is only too willing to take on Europe on this matter when it refused to do so when ordinary Irish citizens were saddled with billions of euro of banking debt, when the EU imposed crippling austerity measures on this state and when the Irish people democratically rejected water charges at the general election this year.”

“So we are now in a situation where the government is taking on the EU in a case that would see the state lose billions of euro in tax if the government is successful yet it has repeatedly refused to take on the EU when the lives of Irish citizens were being ruined by its policies.”