Dolan firm among tax defaulters

Over 105 settlements totalling €32.6 million were made by tax defaulters to the Revenue Commissioners during the first three months of 2009.

Among those included on the list of defaulters are the racehorse trainer Tony Martin, Sligo Rovers FC and a company associated with showband musician Joe Dolan.

Of the 105 published settlements 63 were for amounts exceeding €100,000; of which 15 exceeded €500,000 and nine of that 15 exceeded €1,000,000.

Of the settlements:

* one settlement totalling €1.40 million relates to an Ansbacher account holder

* five settlements totalling €3.14 million relate to bogus non-resident holders,

* 27 settlements totalling €4.80 million relate to Revenue investigations into offshore funds and

* 19 settlements totalling €4.52 million relate to Revenue’s single premium insurance products cases.

Monroe Mullingar Limited, a company listed as 'entertainment promoters', which was once headed by the showband singer Joe Dolan, paid tax of just under €1.8 million and penalties of close to €2.1 million following an investigation by Revenue.

In addition, Dolan's brother Ben was fined €279,000 for faulty tax returns.

Horse trainer Tony Martin paid €104,770 in undeclared PAYE/PRSI and a fine of €34,926.

Sligo Rovers Football Club received a fine of €55,400 while Dublin-based clothing wholesalers Bright Blade was hit with a charge of €3.5 million for undeclared VAT, PAYE/PRSI and Corporation Tax following a Revenue audit.

Carrickmines-based fireplace manufacturer Christopher O'Neill & Sons, made a settlement of €1.4 million.

Company director Joseph Clayton Love Jr, from Currabinny, Co Cork, made a settlement of €1.4m arising from the Ansbacher investigation.

Additionally, a number of aviation-related firms including Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Aer Arran, Servisair and Sky Handling Partners, received fines for using agricultural diesel in their vehicles.