Analysis | 

Apple tax news is a big setback to efforts to clean up Ireland’s image

Risk of a return to square one despite signing up to a raft of corporate tax reforms

The ruling was seen as a win for Commissioner Margrethe Vestager who as anti-trust chief initiated proceedings. Photo: Getty

Sarah Collins

The European court’s Apple tax opinion is a blow to the Government’s efforts to rehabilitate Ireland’s reputation and bring more predictability to the tax system.

If the final judgment goes the same way as Thursday’s opinion – and it is likely that it will, as most court judgments do – Apple and Ireland will be back to square one, with the tech giant effectively seeing its historic tax bills in Ireland re-litigated.