Ireland can't use the €14 billion in disputed tax it collected from Apple to help people affected by Covid-19, the Taoiseach has said.
On Sunday, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the state could "right this minute" use the account where the funds are being held to help the Irish economy.
In 2016, the European Commission ruled that the Irish state had given undue tax benefits worth a whopping €13 billion to Apple, which is illegal under EU state aid rules.
The commission also said the state allowed Apple to pay substantially less tax than other businesses.
Ireland was ordered to recover the illegal aid, plus interest, however the state and Apple are currently appealing against the ruling.
And political rivals have claimed this shows Fine Gael's dedication to corporations rather than the public.
On Monday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar dismissed Ms McDonald's suggestion as "rubbish".
He said: "Mary Lou McDonald should know better, the Apple money is in an escrow account and that is where it is being held until the European Commission decides where that money is going to go.
"The European courts will decide whether that money either belongs to Apple or comes to the Irish revenue commissioners and then has to be distributed out among the countries of Europe.
"It's not ours to take and it's now before the courts.
"She should know better before coming out with that kind of rubbish."
Mr Varadkar said a significant financial package will be announced this week for those who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and others at risk of becoming unemployed.
The Taoiseach said he doesn't want to comment on the approach being taken by the British Government compared to the Irish Government when it comes to Covid-19.
"What I don't want to get involved in is criticising different governments. Every government has to make their own decisions and take the advice of their experts and their scientists. The situation is different in different countries."
"When I spoke to Boris Johnson, I did bring to his attention the issue of Northern Ireland and the fact that we are one island. In many ways we are one epidemiologic unit. I agreed with him that we should try and co-ordinate measures as much as possible - north and south."
"There is ongoing contact between the Stormont Executive and Government and the two CMOs and the ministers."
