Priest apologises for Revenue tirade

A Co Cork priest has today apologised for offensive remarks he made after being included on a list of tax defaulters.

Fr Tadhg O’Donovan, a curate in the parish of Whitechurch, near Blarney, featured on a list of 76 tax defaulters published by the Revenue Commissioners yesterday.

Fr O'Donovan made a settlement of €433,475 following an underdeclaration of income tax and capital gains tax. The settlement includes the figure of €213,000 that he settled with the Revenue last year.

In March 2008, Fr O’Donovan was fined €6,000 at Cork District Court for failing to disclose income he received from the rental of at least 11 properties over a five-year period.

In a newspaper report today, Fr O’Donovan was quoted as calling Revenue chiefs "the biggest shower of b*****ds on the planet".

According to the Irish Daily Star, the priest accused Revenue officials "of having blood on their hands".

"There is a lot more to life than money and, in fairness, if you look at what the Government do with the money, then it's no wonder people don't want to give it to them," he was reported as saying.

In a statement issued this afternoon, Fr O'Donovan apologised for his comments. He said they were made in the heat of the moment and he did not know they would be published.

"I wish to apologise for the offensive remarks I made in relation to the Revenue Commissioners," said Fr O'Donovan.

"I unreservedly withdraw what I said about them in relation to the timing of the publication of the list, the offensive allegation that they were responsible for suicides, the very intemperate tone and obscene language of my comments, and the statement that the Revenue Commissioners were inconsiderate and inhumane," he added.

Fr O'Donovan's apology comes after the Archbishop of Cashel Dermot Clifford had earlier apologised to the Revenue Commissioners for the comments, which he called "unacceptable".

Fr O'Donovan was quoted as saying he had never deliberately misled tax officials and was now "fully tax-compliant".