Revenue gets €600m from tax defaulters

THE REVENUE Commissioners collected more than €600 million from tax defaulters in 2009 as a result of its audit and investigations programmes.

The Government publication Iris Oifigiúilyesterday listed the names of 88 tax defaulters who made settlements totalling €29 million in the final three months of 2009.

The published names included seven cases where the settlements to the Revenue exceeded €1 million. Racehorse trainer John Mulhern, a son-in-law of the late taoiseach Charlie Haughey, made a settlement for €1.4 million for underdeclaration of income tax and capital gains tax.

The Central Park bar and nightclub in Galway made a settlement of almost €3.6 million. The case related to the Revenue’s investigations into offshore assets.

Building contractors Gama Construction Ireland Limited, of Santry, Co Dublin, made a settlement of €2 million for underdeclaration of tax. A related company, Gama-Tubin Construction, also made a settlement for €786,000.

Company director Robert McChesney, from Clontibret, Co Monaghan, made a settlement of €3.6 million in relation to underdeclaration of income tax and capital gains tax. This was the largest settlement by an individual on the list. Mr McChesney is a director of J McChesney Son, which operates a garage in Clontibret.

The final three settlements exceeding €1 million were by members of the Monaghan-based Sherry family, who own a large furniture business. Patrick Sherry, Edward Sherry and James Sherry, who are all former directors of Sherry Brothers, made settlements totalling €4.75 million.

The total €601.8 million haul in tax, interest and penalties last year is a lower sum than in previous years because some of the Revenue’s special investigations such as that into offshore accounts are coming to a close.