Seen & Heard

Varadkar may give immunity to white collar crime informants who become a ‘supergrass’

The Sunday Business Post reports that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has floated the possibility of giving immunity to white collar crime informants who agree to become a "supergrass". The paper says he wants proposals to be brought to cabinet in September.

The Post also writes that a plan to implement a register of the beneficial owners of companies and trusts has been put on hold because of "privacy concerns". The register was supposed to have been introduced following new European Union rules, but it has been delayed in Ireland following lobbying.

And the Post reports that "200 high rollers are facing a bill of up to €500 million" from tax authorities over a tax avoidance scheme that involved investing in the "disposal of inter-company shares".

The Sunday Independent estimates the Dublin Airport Authority "is facing a bill of €100 million over the next three years because of an increasingly tense battle over pay with trade union Siptu". It says Siptu is demanding pay increases of more than €40 million and a "chunk of the DAA's growing profits" via vouchers worth more than €50 million.

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The Sunday Independent says Chinese group WH, which owns US pork giant Smithfield Foods, has been tipped as a €1 billion bidder for poultry company Moy Park by media in Brazil, where Moy Park's parent company JBS is located.

Tax defaulters who have failed to pay back all taxes and penalties owed will be identified in a new list to be published this week by Revenue, says the Sunday Independent.

The Sunday Times says John Sisk & Son builders is "considering" setting up a division to build on State land up to 1,000 social and affordable homes annually priced at €200,000 each. This compares to the €345,000 some State agencies have paid other developers for similar properties.

The Sunday Times also reports that US restructuring expert Bryan Marsal, whose firm landed $600 million in fees for their work on the Lehman's bankruptcy, is developing a new golf resort, Hogs Head, near Waterville in Kerry for opening later this summer.

The Sunday Telegraph says Barclays is "gearing up" for a battle with the administration of Donald Trump over a potential multi-billion dollar fine relating to its role in the subprime crisis that rocked the US economy in 2008.