Noonan expects Apple tax probe to be dropped

Speaking following a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels, Mr Noonan said:  "It's more likely that that investigation will be dropped rather than there being further investigations."

Regulators in Brussels are currently investigating whether two tax deals between Apple and Irish authorities in 1991 and 2007 amounted to illegal state aid.

Asked if he thought there would be further probes into Ireland's tax affairs following the furore over alleged tax avoidance schemes on a massive scale in Luxembourg, Mr Noonan said: "My legal advice is that the Irish authorities will win the case quite easily and that there isn't a very strong case by the Commission."

He said that he had not spoken to the new Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager about the issue.