Ireland could face censure from European authorities in the coming months over Apple's tax payments here, according to Bloomberg.

The news agency says that its reporting is based on a conversation with a source "with knowledge of the matter."

Throughout the European Commission's investigation into the tech firm's tax setup in Ireland, the Irish government has maintained that the State has been involved in no wrongdoing.

Finance Minister, Michael Noonan has suggested that the investigation would be dropped.

“My legal advice is that the Irish authorities will win the case [...] there isn’t a very strong case by the commission,” he said in November, speaking in the wake of the 'LuxLeaks' scandal which exposed mass-tax avoidance in Luxembourg.

“It’s more likely that that investigation will be dropped than there will be further investigations,” he continued.

European antitrust authorities offered preliminary findings last year which suggested that Apple had been given a special tax deal in exchange for the job creation that its presence in Ireland would offer.

In 2013 Apple revealed that it had paid an effective tax rate of less than 2% in Ireland over a 10-year period.

Bloomberg reports that in a "worst-case scenario" Apple my face a $19bn tax bill.

A ruling from the Commission was originally expected during the second quarter of 2015 - it is unclear when a final ruling will now be made.

If it finds that Apple's tax payments in Ireland broke EU rules, it is likely that the Irish government will take this matter to the European Union Court of Justice.