Sheriff's senior official resigns after €795,000 tax settlement

A SENIOR official in the Dublin city sheriff’s office resigned yesterday after agreeing a €795,000 settlement with the Revenue Commissioners.

Thomas Gray, who held the title of court messenger, resigned “with immediate effect” just hours before his name appeared in a list of tax defaulters published in Iris Oifigiúil.

Mr Gray was found to have underpaid income tax and tax on deposit interest by €378,876. The settlement with Revenue included interest and penalties of €416,754.99, bringing the amount he is required to pay to €795,630.99.

In a brief statement last night, city sheriff Brendan Walsh said: “Mr Gray brought the imminent publication of this matter in Iris Oifigiúil to the attention of the Dublin city sheriff this morning, 8th March 2011. He tendered his resignation with immediate effect.

“We understand that this liability has nothing to do with his engagement with the sheriff’s office.”

The statement said that Mr Gray had held the office of court messenger “without incident” since he was appointed back in 1984.

A court messenger is an official appointed by the city sheriff under the 1926 Enforcement of Court Orders Act subject to the approval of the Minister for Justice. Court messengers have the legal power of a bailiff employed by the sheriff.

Mr Gray’s was one of 62 settlements published in the quarterly list of defaulters yesterday. His was among the top five settlements in the list, which yielded almost €21 million for the tax authorities.

The highest single settlement was made by the Tipperary manufacturing firm Gleeson Concrete. Its settlement with the Revenue amounted to €7.65 million, with this sum including €4.8 million in interest and penalties. The case related to the underdeclaration of corporation tax, VAT and PAYE/PRSI and was uncovered by the Revenue’s investigations into the misuse of trusts and offshore structures. Gleeson Concrete is a family business, based primarily in Tipperary, with its main production facility in Donohill.

According to documents filed at the Companies Office, the directors of Gleeson Concrete are Michael Gleeson, Maureen Gleeson, Micheál Gleeson, Denis Peter Gleeson and William Gleeson. Michael Gleeson, who co-founed the company, could not be reached for comment.

Quarry operator John Gallagher, based in Duleek, Co Meath, made a settlement of €3 million after underdeclaring tax. This included €1.84 million in interest and penalties.