Retired company director makes €13.5m tax settlement

Latest quarterly list of tax settlements shows that 117 such cases netted a total of €31.85 million

COLM KEENA

A €13.5 million settlement has been made by a retired company director after the Revenue Commissioners investigated his affairs. It is the largest such payment disclosed by the Revenue since 2006.

Anthony Cafferkey, of Lisnarick Road, Irvinestown, made the settlement as part of the Revenue's bogus non-resident accounts and offshore assets investigations. The case involved income tax totalling €6 million, and included interest of €3.25 million and a penalty of €4.23 million.

The details are in the latest quarterly list of tax settlements, published yesterday, which shows 117 cases that netted a total of €31.85 million.

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Among the cases is a €1.9 million settlement by company director Fergus O’Brien, of Auburn Drive, Killiney, Co Dublin, arising from the underdeclaration of VAT and PAYE/PRSI.

A business owned by the well-known hair stylist Shay Dempsey, from Dundrum, Dublin, along with Elaine Dempsey, of the same address, made a €1.3 million settlement arising from VAT and PAYE/PRSI underpayments. The company, HSE Salon Ltd, had a business address on Exchequer Street, Dublin, traded as Zoo Hair Salon, and went into liquidation in February, 2011.

Now based in California, Mr Dempsey has worked with such well-known people as Gabriel Byrne, Kenneth Brannagh, Kirsten Dunst, Jerry Hall and Helena Christensen.

The country music singer, Robert Mizzell, of Killinlahan, Ballynagore, Co Westmeath, made a €60,000 settlement arising from the underdeclaration of income tax. Mr Mizzell, who was born in the US,moved to Ireland after serving in the US army and developed a successful music career along with his band, the Country Kings.

Solicitor John Sherlock, of Main Street, Clondalkin, Dublin, made a €289,691 payments arising from the underpayment of income tax and VAT.

*PR consultant Peter Mitchell with an address in Lambourne Wood, Cabinteely, Dublin, made a €292,815 settlement.

Publican/shopkeeper Margaret Keane, from Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis, Co Roscommon, made a €668,994 settlement arising from the underdeclaration of income tax, capital gains, and VAT.

Taxi driver Michael Gill, of Hillcrest Park, Glasnevin, Dublin, made a €636,447 income tax settlement while Marcella Gibbon, a debt collection agent, of Longdale Terrace, Ballymun, Dublin, made a €138,997 settlement for the same tax.

A second Revenue list of certain court penalities showed that accountant Gerard Murray, of Pine Valley Drive, Rathfarnham, Dublin, was given an 18 month sentence, with 12 months suspended, for tax fraud and other offences.

* Edited on Septemeber 10th

Colm Keena

Colm Keena

Colm Keena is an Irish Times journalist. He was previously legal-affairs correspondent and public-affairs correspondent