Because they can't afford to exploit the loopholes, duh!

In all seriousness is not that hard to have untaxed income.For almost five years now I've had between 15k-35k of untaxed income every year by flipping cars and not register the car to my name, I think people just need to make more investments that are dealt mostly in cash.

Could you not believe the useless propaganda fed to you please. It's just plain silly. If you don't like how it is being unemployed in Ireland, try another country, where you get nothing! You are literally whining about getting a free education and how you get unemployment for free and help too up skill. Also your "technical" unemployment statement is completely false and something that SF (the political IRA populist filth) would utter which is absolute nonsense. You were still being paid unemployment, a social welfare payment, so you were on the live register. 100% and I am sure of that. 

Fyi, it took me 2 weeks at 3 hours per week to do ecdl. If you were unemployed, and getting free money, it's not really within your remit to be whining about being too good for the education provided. You need to take a deep breathe, step back and realise that you are deepening the Irish stereotype of wanting everything for free while whining about it. You have exaggerated beyond belief above and you have ranted your sweet hatred for your country. I on the other hand love my country, I think you should be happy to be handed free money when you were unemployed while in the USA you'd be homeless and handed nothing. And if you couldn't get a job, do whatever they say to keep your free money. And NO ecdl doesn't take 6 weeks. And if you didn't like it, stop taking the dole or get a job!! Either that or enroll in college, claim back to education allowance and get a free spring board scheme. Let me guess? You'll exaggerate about that too and claim some kind of nonsense. Makes me furious! The only thing wrong with your story above is that they gave you money for doing nothing and then offered a free education course to you, and you didn't appreciate it. You wanted to sit at home playing video games!!

While I get where you are coming from, there is a huge difference in your version of untaxed income versus these large corporations.

These large corporations are utilizing tax loopholes but (generally) are still following the laws. Your cash dealings are still technically taxable income, you are just lying on your taxes and choosing to not report this income.

The thing is Ireland granted Apple a Taxbenefit they did not give to other companies. They enjoy the benefits of the EU Market. Apple would not be there in the first place without Ireland being in the EU.

There are certain rules that every country has to follow that is in the EU its written in books and every country agrees to that.

Their elected officials agree to that. Also the benefit would be good for Ireland. As Apple can not really abandon Ireland they need to be there for their EU Buisness.

The 13 Billion would go to pay off part of Irelands dept. Which in turn would improve credit ratings and Ireland would have to pay less interest which could be invested in other things like Infrastructures. Ireland really has no place to complain that they have to follow rules they agreed up on. Lets think about it without being in the EU there would have been no money from Apple before and definetly no money now from them.

Same for other companies. Ireland has the right to set their own taxes but they also have to follow EU Regulations in doing so and since Apple used a special Loophole so they would not even have to pay the 12.5% which by EU regulations was not allowed they pretty much can not do anything. 

Nobody in  Ireland should complain as Ireland could have his cake (get Apple to be there) And now EU makes sure that Ireland eats the cake aswell.  And best thing is there will be more cake in the future. So EU benefited Ireland in countless ways. 

Apple pays just a months profits to EU thats nothing for them as of right now the Billions are just on accounts numbers that nobody uses and cant be transported to USA as there would be a huge cut for the IRS which Apple does not want to give. 

The case is also not decided should Ireland be in the right Apple will not have to pay anything if Ireland went against EU Legislation  then Apple will have to give money to Ireland.  And Ireland has to begrudingly accept piles of cash. 

I saw this video already, the whole series.  Money symbolizes debt. Debt can not be eliminated but reduced.

Apple have been in Ireland for 33 years... They have a very long history in the country. I find it hilarious now that the company is the largest in the world by market value, that the commission has gone for this cash grab. Yet back 13 years ago the company was nearly bankrupt. So the commission is fining a billion per year since the time they were almost bankrupt....

Many countries in Europe give grants to companies for locating in there geographic area. These help with building a facility, recruitment and reducing fees of all types. So why is Ireland being chosen for setting its tax rate? 

The competition committee has never ruled on tax matters previously to this and usually they deal with mergers and acquisitions within the European Union. That is their bread and butter. When we joined the EU , we did so as a sovereign nation with the understanding between us and the EU that our tax rate was untouchable and they had no say in these matters. 

It is our only competitive edge against bigger and more central countries in the EU. 

Without this we may as well leave the EU immediately. It is not in any way worth staying in it. If we have to charge apple 13 billion then small peripheral countries should decide taxes in central Europe ...  How would Germany like if we said they had to charge a corporate tax of 50% or more due to their advantageous location, fantastic infrastructure and vast resources ad well as great influence within the EU? 

I think that they would laugh and give the middle finger.... All they care about is themselves.

That is very nice to hear :). These days not many people chose to learn things like that outside the mainstream media. It's getting me down lately.

But then i'm not sure i understand your point for the paying off since it doesn't matter who pays or even for what reason. The system can only fail or at best reset on behalf off the money changers. Starve the beast as some say. Apple is not doing for the right reasons though.

Come on now, how else is our taoiseach going to keep getting payed more then Obama. They need to keep that money rolling into their pockets somehow.

To be honest im not really sure. I just remember reading it awhile back and was pretty shocked if true.

I do know he is the 3rd best payed european leader. Imo still way way too much money for any leader imo, as i believe our leaders should be on a standard wage so only people who really want the job and want to help the country would take it. We should also follow Icelands lead and banish/lock up all our bankers xD .