Apple will start transferring €13bn (£11.4bn) to the Irish government within weeks, as the internet giant continues to fight against the multi-billion euro bill and despite push-back from Ireland.

Apple was slapped with the bill in 2016 after the European Commission ruled that the tax it paid on its operations based in Ireland was so low that it amounted to illegal state aid.

Apple, at the time, said it would have "the most profound and harmful effect" on investment and job creation in Europe, and launched an appeal against the ruling. This appeal is expected to begin in the autumn.

While it awaits the outcome, which officials this evening said could take as long as five years, the tech giant will transfer the funds into an escrow account in "significant tranches" starting in May, with all the money to have been transferred by the end of October.

The funds will then remain in that account, with the Bank of New York Mellon, during the appeal proceedings.