Is an award of €13 billion a big win or an embarrassing loss? The European Court of Justice (ECJ) court yesterday said that the European Commission was correct in 2016 when it ruled that Apple owed Ireland €13 billion in tax relating to underpayments during 2003-2014.
The ruling represents a heavy legal defeat for Apple and the Irish Government – and a major win for the EU.
But how did it get to the point that Ireland had to go to Europe to defend a tax arrangement with a multinational?
Irish Times columnist Cliff Taylor explains how a big pay-day for the Government is also a reputational hit, with the court’s clear and final verdict that Ireland broke the rules and offered illegal State aid to Apple. And he looks at how to spend it.
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Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.
