The Taoiseach has flatly rejected calls from Sinn Féin for the Apple tax money to be used to pay for Coronavirus supports.
Leo Varadkar has said the money is not the government’s to take – and they will be finding other means to pay for the required measures.
Sinn Féin’s Tipperary TD, Martin Browne, was among those last week calling for that tax to be used.
But Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says any COVID-19 strategy won’t involve raiding the Apple tax money:
“Mary Lou McDonald should know better. The Apple money is in an escrow account and that’s where it’s being held until the European Courts decide where that money’s going to go.
“And the European Courts if that money either belongs to Apple, or if it comes to the Irish Revenue Commissioners and will then have to be distributed out among the countries of Europe.
“It’s not ours to take. It’s in an escrow account and it’s now before the courts.
“She should know better than to be coming out with that kind of rubbish.”
