Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

117. To ask the Minister for Finance if all correspondence between the European Commission and his Department regarding a case (details supplied) will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51177/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 30 August 2016, it was announced that the Commission had issued a negative decision in the Apple State Aid case. This concluded the investigation that had been on-going formally since June 2014.

Ireland has never accepted the Commission’s analysis in the Apple State aid Decision. However, we have always been clear that the Government is fully committed to ensuring that recovery of the alleged Apple State aid takes place without delay and has committed significant resources to ensuring this is achieved as quickly as possible whilst ensuring that the interests of the Irish taxpayer are adequately protected.  

In this regard, Irish officials and experts have been engaged in intensive work to ensure that the State complies with all its recovery obligations as soon as possible, and have been in constant contact with the European Commission on all aspects of this process for over a year.

It is not appropriate for me to discuss or publish the nature of the correspondence between Ireland and the European Commission relating to the investigation or the recovery process, as such correspondence is confidential between Ireland and the European Commission.

Finally, the Government profoundly disagrees with the European Commission’s analysis in the Apple State aid case.  As this is the subject of open legal proceedings, it will not be possible to comment further in this regard.