Builders, a meat wholesaler, a horse trainer and a former Fianna Fáil fund-raiser are among those named in the latest list of tax defaulters, published yesterday. The list includes 10 settlements of more than €1 million, writes Colm Keena
The settlements include ones linked to inquiries into Ansbacher, bogus non-resident accounts, NIB and hidden offshore assets as well as settlements due to regular audits.
A meat wholesaler from Galway, who had to make a €3.6 million settlement arising from under-declared income tax, said he felt he had been treated badly by his bank and by the Revenue.
Mr Michael Russell, from Beach Court, Salthill, Galway, said he felt he had been badly advised by his bank. Mr Russell, who paid €2.36 million in interest and penalties, also said the Revenue had "put in the boot; they cleaned me out and left nothing. It's penal."
Builders and company directors Mr Edward Lynam, Navan Road, Dublin, and the late Mr James Lynam, Sutton, Co Dublin, made settlements arising from the Ansbacher inquiry. The former paid €2.8 million, while the latter paid €2.1 million.
The two men were former partners in E & J Lynam Properties Ltd. According to the Ansbacher inspectors' report, they opened accounts with the late Mr Des Traynor, the main architect of the Ansbacher deposits, in 1979.
A smaller settlement arising from the Ansbacher inquiry was made by Mr Joseph Malone, of Rye, New York. He paid €108,759, more than 60 per cent of which was made up from interest and penalties.
The inspectors reported that Mr Malone, a former member of Fianna Fáil's Taca fund-raising group and an associate of Mr Charles Haughey, opened an account with Ansbacher at the suggestion of Mr Traynor around 1975. Mr Malone is a former car hire company operator, director general of Bord Fáilte, Aer Lingus director and executive with the Smurfit group.
Mr Michael Hourigan, a horse trainer from Lisaleen, Patrickswell, Co Limerick, made a settlement of €32,735 arising from a bogus non-resident account. Mr Hourigan is the trainer of the top staying Irish chaser Beef or Salmon.
A company that operates a number of pubs, EJ King Ltd, of the Square, Clifden, Co Galway, made a settlement of €2.98 million arising out of a bogus non-resident account investigation.
In all, there are 259 settlements on the list, involving a total of €47.63 million.