The Financial Times reports today that it is looking at deals given to the likes of technology giant Apple and Starbucks. The paper says its part of a wider probe involving the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

"The move threatens to open a new front in the global clampdown on tax evasion through enforcing the EU’s state aid rules - a unique regime that bans serious distortions of competition through tax breaks to favoured private groups."

The Irish government has repeatedly denied claims companies are offered special tax breaks in return for jobs and investment.

A statement issued by the Department of Finance this morning says they are not aware of any formal EU enquiry.

The Financial Times says that if the Commission finds cause for concern, it will open a formal investigation and start a process that could force the states to recoup all the lost revenues from any unlawful deals.

It quotes a Commission spokesperson as saying "At the moment, we are simply gathering information on tax rulings".

Back in July, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) insisted that Ireland is not a tax haven.

Coffee chain Starbucks has also come under scrutiny

The Irish corporate tax regime has come under criticism from the United States which believes American companies are exploiting Irish law to avoid paying tax in America. The Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously insisted that the company has no special 2% tax rate here.

Ireland was labelled a tax haven by observers after Mr. Cook appeared before a US Senate hearing earlier this year.

A US Senate report said the iPhone maker avoided paying tax by setting up companies in Ireland which paid little or no tax on sales of the company's products outside America. In a statement, Apple had previously said it does not use tax gimmicks.

Apple employs 4,000 people at its European headquarters in Cork.

Newstalk Business Editor Ian Guider gave the details to Breakfast here on Newstalk.