Economy: When Will The Irish Leave the EU?

(Drivebycuriosity) - Is the Republic of Ireland still an independent country? Recent developments cast some doubts. Last week the EU nixed a deal between Ireland and Apple. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, ordered Apple to pay $14.5 billion in taxes to Ireland. In 1990 Apple entered into a deal with Ireland to pay very low taxes there. In return Apple promised to create a lot of jobs there. It seems that both were happy with this deal, but not the EU. "Low corporate tax was one way Ireland improved its economy and attracted big companies, and Apple was one of the early companies to benefit", explains BusinessInsider (businessinsider).

Does a government has the right to decide about taxes? Will the Irish loose jobs because the EU says so?

The verdict shows how much power Brussels (the seat of the EU Commission) has gained and how strong the EU interferes in the politics of the member countries. It looks like that the European Union is developing into something like the defunct Soviet Union, a bundle of states ruled by a central government.

The growing power of the EU Commission over national policies - and the loss of democracy in the member countries - was one of the reasons for Brexit. Maybe the Irish will follow the British example and leave the EU as well.