Tax defaulters make €28m in settlements

The latest defaulters’ list released by the Revenue Commissioners carried the usual mix of professions — including meat wholesalers, publicans, dentists, horse breeders, farming contractors and a stockmarket adviser.

Revenue said that in the three months to the end of September, settlements relating to 88 taxpayers worth €27.6m were published.

Six people have made settlements of more than €1m with the Revenue for tax issues. Eight settlements exceeded €500,000.

Among the names on the list was retired company director John Joseph McCarthy, formerly based at Flower Lodge, Strawhall, Fermoy, Co Cork. He racked up the largest bill and paid €6.25m to the tax inspectors for underdeclaration of income tax, capital gains tax and stamp duty.

The second largest settlement, €4.1m, was made by the Skeffington Arms, a pub and hotel on Eyre Square in Galway for underdeclaration of corporation tax, PAYE/PRSI, stamp duty and Vat.

The business owed €1.8m in tax and was also fined €1.4m.

Gerald Clarke, a farming contractor from Greaghaduff, Bailieboro, Co Cavan, racked up a bill of €1.43m for underdeclaration of Vat and income tax.

Pharmacist James Connolly, from the Square in Kildare town, settled for €1.25m for underdeclaration of income tax and capital acquisitions tax.

Landlord Patrick Wheelock, from Moneyhore, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, made a settlement for €1.1m for underdeclaration of income tax and Vat.

Revenue said it was a portion only of all audits and investigations concluded in the period and the names on the list are only released when chances to make voluntary disclosures are not availed of and the default is classed as careless or deliberate behaviour.

Some 1,888 Revenue audits and investigations and 21,449 risk management interventions were settled from July to September, bringing in €116m for the exchequer.

Elsewhere, 50 people were prosecuted for using laundered fuel.

Sentences for the offence ranged from fines of €2,500-€10,000, right up to a company director who was jailed for two years.

Ten people were named for cigarette smuggling. And another five for illegal selling of tobacco.

Three of the people were found to have been smuggling outside of Ireland, two in Estonia and one in Romania, and three of them were sentenced to anywhere from three months to a year behind bars. One man had received a suspended sentence.

The fines for the cigarette smugglers ranged from €2,500 to €3,000.