Tipperary’s Sinn Féin TD is calling on the Government to use the billions of euro which the EU has ruled that Apple owes Ireland in taxes.
Deputy Martin Browne believes that the Taoiseach’s speech last night didn’t go far enough in terms of offering assurances to businesses, mortgage holders and renters.
A 2016 EU ruling directed Apple to pay back over 14 billion euro to cover “illegal tax benefits” between 2004 and 2014.
Deputy Browne wants to see greater spending to protect those who may lose out over the coming months:
“We have €14bn sitting in a bank account that Apple hold. The EU say they owe us, Apple have accepted they owe us. Let’s start using that money!
“Let’s stop wasting millions trying to avoid taking it – start getting in and taking that money.
“€3 billion is only a drop in the ocean when you look at other countries and what schemes they’ve put in to try and help and keep the economy floating.
All the experts last night were telling us we need to spend our way out of this trouble now. So we need to start making money available to businesses.”
