The Dáil will be recalled next week to rubber stamp the Government’s decision to appeal the Apple tax ruling.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform says the decision follows ‘a lot of debate and a lot of soul-searching’.

Earlier this week the European Commission found Apple’s tax deal with Ireland is illegal and ordered the tech giant to pay €13bn – plus interest – in back taxes.

Minister Paschal Donohoe says it’s a highly complicated affair: “What is very likely to happen anyway, regardless of what we do is Apple are going to appeal it.

“The second thing that is going to happen is the Commission has invited tax collectors all over the European Union and within America to see if they are due a share of this alleged €13bn.

“So the idea that there is a pot of gold that we can immediately access is not true.”