Boyd Barrett : Why would Government go to court to avoid getting €19bn in back taxes?
An Opposition TD has said that he cannot understand why the Government would reject getting billions of euro in back taxes from multi-national companies.
Richard Boyd Barrett quizzed the Finance Minister today over the ongoing EU investigation into the tax treatment of Apple and other companies.
Michael Noonan said that Ireland rejects the case that Apple received State aid and that if the Commission eventually finds against Ireland, the matter will be challenged in the European courts.
Deputy Boyd-Barrett said he cannot understand why the Government would not just recover the extra tax to fund housing, health and other services.
"Apple and other companies were using elaborate mechanisms, the so-called 'Double-Irish', to avoid tax," he said.
"And I just find it hard to believe that already you're indicating that if the EU Commission find against this State on that, that you're going to go to court, so you DON'T get €19bn.
"When in fact, what we should be doing is trying to get that €19bn which we so desperately need."
