Update 12.30pm: A member of the Cabinet says the European Commission has set itself up as “prosecutor, judge and executioner” in relation to the Apple tax ruling.

Richard Bruton’s insisting there’s no rift at Cabinet – despite Independent Ministers so far refusing to back an appeal being lodged to the European Courts.

Independent Alliance Ministers will meet again today ahead of a resumed Cabinet meeting tomorrow morning.

The Education Minister says the ruling simply has to be appealed.

Update 12pm: Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has said the Irish government should tell the EU to go to hell.

Speaking about the Apple Tax ruling he said Ireland has the right to decide it’s own tax affairs. 

Michael O’Leary said if the government wants to make its own tax deals it should be allowed to: “The Irish Government should do likewise, instead of holding cabinet meetings.

send them a polite letter; ‘Go to hell, we are not pursuing this, we welcome Apple and all the other USFDI here and go to hell’

“What is the European Union going to do? Nothing!”

Update 10.50am: Apple boss Tim Cook thinks the tax ruling against his company is going to cause a rift between the US and the EU.

The head of the tech firm has given his first Irish interview since Tuesday’s landmark decision by the European financial watchdog.

Apple has been accused of an illegal deal by basing a HQ here to take advantage of our low corporate tax rate.

Earlier: Apple boss Tim Cook has called Europe’s ruling on its tax bill ‘political crap’.

The US tech giant has been ordered to pay Ireland up to €19bn in back taxes and interest charges in a landmark decision by EU’s financial watchdog.

It follows claims that its dealings here were illegal because it took advantage of our low corporate tax rate to pay as little tax as possible.

But the Irish Independent, who has spoken to Mr Cook, says he is confident his appeal against the ruling will be successful.

The Government still has not decided if it will appeal the Apple ruling.