Revenue picks up €25m in tax defaulter settlements

A food-processing business in Clane, Co Kildare, McCarthy Meats, made a €2.96 million settlement with the Revenue following the discovery of a bogus non-resident account, writes Colm Keena

Company director Mr James McCarthy, of the same address, made a separate settlement of €1.87 million, again arising from the discovery of a bogus non-resident account.

A woman at McCarthy Meats said Mr McCarthy was not available for comment.

The settlements are among 182 listed in the latest issue of Iris Oifigiúil, involving a total of €25.19 million. The bulk of the cases listed arise from bogus non-resident accounts, with many of them having interest and penalty charges that are significantly bigger than the tax due.

The latest list includes a settlement arising from the Ansbacher inquiry. Dr T C Killeen, a medical doctor, of Mount Prospect Lawns, Clontarf, Dublin 3, made a settlement of €582,403 arising from the underdeclaration of income tax worth €180,661.

The McCarthy Meats settlement arose from the underdeclaration of PAYE/PRSI worth €1.28 million. Mr McCarthy's settlement arose from the underdeclaration of income tax/capital acquisitions tax worth €679,268.

The list gives all settlements exceeding €12,700 that arose other than from voluntary disclosure and which occurred in the period October 1st, 2003, to December 31st, 2003.

A noticeable feature of the latest list is the number of people who give "employee" as their occupation. Employees rarely appear on the quarterly list. Almost all of the 16 that appear on the latest list had bogus non-resident accounts.

A company director, Mr Michael J Kennedy, of Carrigan, Craughwell, Co Galway, made a settlement of €1.28 million arising from a bogus non-resident account.

Deceased publican Thomas Kennedy, of Drumcondra Road, Dublin 9, made a settlement of €1.05 million, also arising from a bogus non-resident account. Kennedy's bar is reputed to be frequented by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, although a barman at the pub yesterday said Mr Ahern had not been seen there "in years - not since he brought Bill Clinton to Fagan's up on the corner".

A company director, Mr Stephen Finn, of North Circular Road, Limerick, made a settlement of €687,046, arising from a bogus non-resident account. A landlord, Mr James Farrell, of Rush, Co Dublin, made a €628,5131 settlement also arising from a bogus non-resident account.

A deceased cafe proprietor, Patrick Marsella, Glasnevin Avenue, Dublin 11, made a settlement of €532,598 arising from a bogus non-resident account.

A chimney sweep, Mr Bernard McGuinness, Hill Top Lawn, Shankill, Co Dublin, made a €189,45 settlement arising from tax due of only €51,000. This case also involved a bogus non-resident account. He could not be contacted yesterday.