Tax evasion scams similar to the scheme operated by the Switzerland-based private bank division of HSBC will become much less common in the future on the back of tighter legislation, according to a leading tax expert.

The controversial ‘double Irish’ tax mechanism was never part of the Irish tax code and was not a viable way of building a sustainable economy, says Minister for Finance Michael Noonan.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was granted conditional bail today after appearing in court on an extradition warrant.