A tech boom is underway in Ireland and several US IT giants, such as Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon, have relocated their headquarters to the island - partly because of generous tax rules.

This was not appreciated by the European Commission, which believed that the tax scheme distorts competition and disadvantages national actors.

The case went all the way to the European Court of Justice where in 2016 the Commission won against Apple, which was sentenced to pay 13 billion euros, 140 billion euros, in non-payment of taxes.

According to the Commission, Apple had only paid between 1 and 0.005% tax on its European profits between 2003 and 2014.

Say no thank you

But both Apple and Ireland appealed against the verdict. However, the matter is not yet settled, but only in September this year, after three years of preparation, both Apple and Ireland had to submit their appeals to the European Court of Justice

Ireland's Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe says he understands that some may be upset by the country's decision, but at the same time there is a misconception about how the country's tax legislation works.

- I understand that it can be difficult to understand and some Irish people have questioned my position, but the reason I said no to the money is that Ireland does not enter into agreements or make agreements with individual companies. Nor is it our role to make our any global tax collector against individual companies, says the minister in an interview with SVT News.

So they deny that they have given tax benefits to individual companies and therefore support Apple's appeal.

"Should receive the money"

At the same time, many Irish people are positive about the IT boom on the island. Thousands of new jobs have been created and growth is evident in the country, which only ten years ago experienced a rocking financial crisis.

Agenda has also met with the EU Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager from Denmark, who has been a leader in the process against Apple and by some has been called "Silicon Valley's terror".

She has also gained renewed confidence in the Commission and has as its main promise to continue to push for a tax on technology giants.

When asked how she responds to the Irish Finance Minister not wanting the money that the EU believes the company owes Ireland, she answers:

- It is a matter between him and the Irish voters. After all, it is the Irish taxpayers who have been deprived of the tax.

So you think he should receive them?

- I absolutely think so. It is about what is right and reasonable. Most companies pay taxes.