Pat Brittenden and Dene MacKenzie discuss Ireland’s deal with Apple to pay 0.005% business tax instead of the normal 12.5%. The European Union says the tech giant must pay Ireland $NZ20 billion in back taxes.
Apple and Dublin say the American company's tax treatment was in line with Irish and EU law and both will appeal against the ruling, which is part of a drive against what the EU says are sweetheart tax deals that usually smaller states in the bloc offer multinational companies to lure jobs and investment.
Apple employs 5500, or about a quarter of its Europe-based staff, in the Irish city of Cork, where it is the largest private sector employer.
