Civil servant claims politicians evaded tax

A serving civil servant has given an extensive dossier to the Dáil Public Accounts Committee making allegations of substantial tax evasion over an extended period of time involving, among others, senior politicians.

The senior civil servant has also maintained that various ministers over recent years and a number of State agencies failed to fully investigate the allegations.

The civil servant indicated that he had obtained evidence of the alleged tax evasion while engaging in official duties a number of years ago.

The dossier sent to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also contained a number of exhibits, including what appear to be copies of bank records.

Investigated

However, some political sources said the claims had been fully investigated over the past decade. When contacted yesterday at his Government department, the civil servant declined to comment.

In a covering letter sent to the accounts committee, the civil servant maintained that he had drawn up a briefing note and associated background material which “disclose a system used by, inter alia, senior politicians to evade Irish taxation in very significant amounts over many years. They also reveal that investigations of these matters were halted before completion, and that requests to resume those investigations were refused.”

The letter makes allegations regarding one former minister. Allegations are also made in the dossier about a former judge.

Relevant

It is also claimed the evidence in the documentation could “be relevant to the defence of the State and of Mr

Michael Lowry

and Mr Denis O’Brien in the case being taken by the failed bidders in the 1995 mobile phone licence competition”.

The dossier – which had been delivered in hard copy only to PAC members by registered post this week – was considered in a private session by members of the committee yesterday.

It is understood that at the meeting it was decided to refer the material submitted by the civil servant to the parliamentary legal advisers.

The civil servant urged that secret bank accounts held for the benefit of a number of TDs and at least one former minister should be properly investigated.

He also recommended that the affairs of the former judge should be examined.