Re: 'defies reality and common sense'
>The punishment is hitting the wrong entity.
The 'punishment' the EU has handed out to Ireland is: collect the 13bn from Apple, because you should have collected it, your GDP figures were lower than you (the Irish government) reported to the EU and thus your contributions to the EU will be increased and you are required to pay the amounts in arrears sooner rather than later.
>If its a dodgy deal it is Ireland who made the deal and should be the target of punishment.
It takes two to tango, Apple is not innocent - "the lady doth protest too much". Remember for the sweetheart deal to exist Apple needed to be complicit...