The Workers’ Party has slammed the government for risking even more costs to the state, by failing to adhere to a directive from the European Commission that it return state aid given to Apple in the form of tax advantages.
Responding to news that the State has been referred to European Court of Justice (ECJ) for its non-compliance with the Commission’s verdict on the Apple tax case, Éilis Ryan, Workers’ Party councillor in Dublin, criticised the government and demanded that it drop its appeal.
Ryan said:
‘The government is throwing good money after bad on legal fees in pursuit of this appeal. It should drop the appeal immediately and move to collect the outstanding tax money owed to the state. This money is badly needed for expenditure on public services for ordinary citizens and taxpayers who make more than their fair share of a contribution to the public purse while big multinationals dodge their taxes.’
Ryan continued:
‘This appeal is borne out of class interests – the interests of those who benefit from our tax haven economy and whom Fine Gael are beholden to – the multinationals, the legal firms, the accounting firms. It goes against the interests of the majority of people in Ireland who could benefit massively from the €13 billion being collected and invested in a programme of state investment in jobs, housing and childcare.’
Ryan concluded:
‘Such a state investment programme could improve the quality of life of the majority of people in Ireland and begin to move the economy away from it’s current function as a haven for tax-dodging multinationals. Unfortunately the government seems intent on pursuing an economic strategy purely based on bending the knee to large multinational firms. When the European Union and its institutions are criticising you for pursuing a strategy that is too neoliberal, it is past time to reconsider.’