Official denies being worried bank would blame her for tax deficiency

AIB's former tax compliance manager denied being worried that she might be blamed in 1991 when AIB realised that its performance in relation to DIRT was seriously deficient.

Ms Deirdre Fullen also denied any deliberate intention to mislead anybody. "I never at any point in time set out to mislead anybody or do anything to protect either myself or any members of staff in the bank."

She said she believed the agreement with Revenue about "looking forward" on DIRT tax was reached between the meeting in February 1991 and December. It was an "ongoing process" she said under cross-examination from Mr Eoghan Fitzsimons SC, for the Revenue.

He pointed out that the bank's audit committee approved its accounts for the previous year on the basis that a "concluded deal" was put in place on May 6th. Ms Fullen was unaware of that.

She believed the Revenue wanted to put a process in place whereby AIB "would get the matter sorted out going forward". All she had in writing, however, was a letter which was qualified by a telephone conversation. "The liability was contingent, if you like, on the Revenue withdrawing their good faith. We entered into that agreement with the Revenue in good faith."

Counsel put it that she would have been very concerned when the issue blew up that she was going to be blamed for what happened. "I can state quite categorically that that thought never entered my head," she replied.

Mr Fitzsimons said AIB's reclassification of £400 million of accounts from non-resident to resident indicated there was a serious deficiency in the bank in tax compliance on DIRT. Ms Fullen said that reclassification did not imply bogus accounts.