Ireland to appeal EU Apple tax ruling

LONDON (AA) – Ireland has confirmed it will appeal a European Union ruling that ordered Apple to pay 13 billion euros ($14.6 billion) in back taxes in the country.

The decision ends uncertainty over the country’s fragile government after independent ministers indicated they wanted the technology giant to pay the sum.

Ireland has a long-established policy of using lower corporate tax rates to attract investment from multinational companies, but the European Commission ruled on Tuesday that its arrangement with Apple constituted illegal state aid.

Apple CEO Tim Cook described the ruling as “maddening” and said Ireland had never offered his company a special tax deal.

Prime Minister Enda Kenny also criticized the decision, saying it was “in dispute”, but independent ministers in his minority coalition appeared to disagree.

John Halligan, a junior minster from the Independent Alliance group, had said it was his “personal view” that Apple should pay the 13 billion euros.

But at a cabinet meeting on Friday ministers from all government parties agreed to lodge the appeal.

Ireland’s parliament will meet next Wednesday to debate the appeal and the issue of corporate tax transparency, state broadcaster RTE said.