The longest list of tax defaulters to date was published yesterday in Iris Oifigiúil with details of 419 settlements that netted the Revenue Commissioners €36.9 million, the largest total yet for the quarterly lists. Colm Keena reports.
The list included details of 373 bogus non-resident account settlements, totalling €30.08 million. Among those listed was Fianna Fáil TD Mr Michael Collins, of Limerick, who made a settlement of €130,602. The settlement included €98,601 in interest and penalties.
The names published yesterday relate to involuntary settlements exceeding €12,700 made during the period April 1st, 2003 and June 30th, 2003. The persons listed in relation to bogus non-resident accounts are people who did not avail of the Revenue offer in 2001 under which, in return for coming forward, people were guaranteed their names would not be published and qualified for reduced penalties.
The largest individual settlement on the list was made by Ms Elizabeth O'Connor, a restaurateur from Arklow Road, Gorey, Co Wexford, who made a settlement of €884,194. Interest and penalties came to €623,867 in this instance and the case involved a bogus non-resident account. Ms O'Connor could not be contacted last night.
Mr Brendan Galligan, a company director of Rathcolman, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, made a settlement for €882,610. His case arose as part of the Revenue's NIB inquiry. His company, Mullingar Travel, made a separate settlement of €767,898, bringing the total to €1.65 million.
Another major settlement relates to a market gardener, Mr Christopher Jones, of Beauhill, Whitestown, Rush, Co Dublin, who paid €804,592 in another case arising from the Revenue's NIB inquiry.
Mr Joseph Daly, a company director, of Priory House, Priory Park, Clancy Strand, Limerick, made a settlement of €800,000, of which €612,994 was interest and penalties, in a bogus non-resident account case.
Mr Kevin Moore, a company director, of Stancliffe, Greenshill, Kilkenny, made a settlement of €731,801 in another bogus non-resident account case.
Mr Noel Smyth, a former butcher and landlord, from Durhamstown, Bohermeen, Navan, Co Meath, made a €695,000 settlement of which €491,365 was interest and penalties. It was another bogus non-resident account case.
A company director, Mr Patrick Quinlan, of Castlegal, Co Sligo, made a settlement for €687,780. A garage owner, Mr Patrick Hennessy jnr, of Doneen, Kilmeaden, Co Waterford, made a settlement of €581,691, and the estate of a deceased farmer, Mr Patrick Barrett snr, of Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare, made a settlement for €524,601.
In all, 78 of the cases in the latest list exceeded €100,000 in value. As well as NIB, bogus non-resident account and non-specific Revenue audit cases, the list also included three more Ansbacher investigation cases, bringing the total number of published settlements under the Ansbacher banner to four.
The list also includes a Dublin solicitor, Ms Mary King, of Sanford, The Green Road, Dalkey, Co Dublin, who made a €177,244 settlement of which €132,458 was interest and penalties. The case involved the under-declaration of income and a bogus non-resident account.
A chartered accountant, Mr Michael McKenna, of Ontario Terrace, Rathmines, Dublin, is named in Iris Oifigiúil as having being fined in court in the period April 1st, 2003 to June 30th, 2003. Mr McKenna was fined a total of €8,640 in relation to 27 charges including delivery of incorrect VAT returns, failure to furnish VAT returns, failure to keep VAT returns and delivery of incorrect income tax returns.
The Revenue said yesterday that, apart from the 419 cases for which details were published, during the three months to June 30th, 2003 it processed 586 audit settlements totalling €102.89 million the details of which are not being published. Mainly this would be because the settlements were voluntary. The average for the unpublished settlements is €175,000, the average for the published settlements is €88,000.
