Former Fianna Fáil TD Michael Collins today received a 12-month suspended sentence and a €25,000 fine for obtaining a tax clearance certificate at a time when he held a bogus non-resident bank account.
Collins (66), from Patrickswell, Co Limerick, a former TD for Limerick West was convicted at Limerick Circuit Court last month of obtaining the certificate by false pretences in May 2002.
He is the first elected member of Dáil Eireann to be prosecuted following a complaint by the Standards in Public Office Commission.
During the four-day trial, the jury heard evidence that Collins was the beneficiary of a bogus non-resident account held at the AIB branch in Kilmallock, Co Limerick.
Lawyers for the State's case claimed Collins concealed this account from the Revenue Commissioners when he applied for a tax clearance certificate following his election to Dáil Eireann in May 2002, as required under the Standards in Public Office Act.
Collins had denied the charge.
In sentencing Collins today, Judge Carroll Moran said it was his considered view that it would be "disproportionate and unjust" to impose an prison sentence on Collins as he was of previous good character, had no previous convictions and was in a state of poor health.
Judge Moran said that Collins' political career had finished as a result of the prosecution and that he didn't run in the recent general elections where he was expected to retain his Dáil seat, because of his impending trial.
He also said another mitigating factor was the fact that Collins had admitted being the beneficiary of the account and had settled €130,000 in tax and penalties with the Revenue.