Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has welcomed the final Apple Tax judgement and described as “reckless and unforgiveable” the decision by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to drag the case through the courts for eight years.

Teachta Crowe said:

“Thankfully, sanity has prevailed and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been prevented from giving away €13bn of Irish taxpayers’ money.

“The judgement is final, and echoes what Sinn Féin has said all along that this money is, and always was, due to the state.

“We have witnessed gross recklessness and incompetence from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in dragging this case out over the past eight years.

“Sinn Féin got this right from the very beginning. If Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had their way, the state and Irish taxpayers would be down over €13bn.

“You could not make this up. The parties of government, who lecture fiscal prudence, sought to obstruct more than €13bn that the state was due.

“This money could have been spent on building homes, employing SNAs, and addressing the very real systemic issues plaguing our public services.

“As part of their bizarre decision to defend a corporation not paying its fair share of tax, the state spent millions on legal fees.

“A government that was willing to frustrate over €13bn from coming into the coffers of the state is not in a position to argue against the investment into the infrastructure and housing our citizens so desperately need.”