Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has described the European commission’s decision to order Apple to pay €13bn (£11bn) in back tax to Dublin as bizarre and suggested the Irish government should politely tell the European Union to “fuck off” .
The EU ruled on Tuesday that Ireland had provided illegal state aid by allowing the US firm to pay very little tax.
“It’s not because I’m Irish but I think the state aid ruling was bizarre,” said O’Leary.
“The Irish government shouldn’t even appeal the decision. They should just write a letter to Europe and tell them politely to fuck off with themselves. Which is what they need to be told.”
O’Leary said he didn’t think the ruling would withstand a legal challenge.
“I think it has no chance of surviving a court ruling in Europe,” he said.
“The idea that the state aid mob, who have had more court verdicts overturned than any other department in Europe in the past 20 years, can come along 10 years after the event and say ‘We didn’t like that, we think you should have done something else’ is frankly bizarre.”
“Will they tell the UK you can now start charging all the Russian billionaires who are here on non dom tax schemes ‘Sorry, you’re providing state aid to Russian oligarchs, you should tax them all at 55%?’”
“There are certain things Europe has no competence in and no rights in.”
