Ireland’s cabinet has agreed that it will join Apple in an appeal against the European Commission’s €13 billion (~ $14.5b USD) demand for back taxes from the company, Reuters reports. Ireland’s Finance Minister Michael Noonan has been on the record since the EU began investigating Apple’s Irish tax affairs in 2014 in stating that the government would fight any adverse ruling in order to protect Ireland’s interests in attracting large multinational companies to the country.
Although the cabinet ministers have agreed to join in the appeal, Ireland’s minority government is currently supported by independents who have concerns about multinationals tax policies being reviewed to ensure foreign companies are “seen to be paying their fair share.” However, the main opposition party also favors a legal challenge, suggesting that the government should have no problem winning parliamentary support to move forward with the appeal. The cabinet is expected to ask parliament to endorse the legal challenge next Wednesday.
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