Government left red-faced as Mahon admits tax settlement

THE revelation of a £20,000 tax settlement by the judge chairing the Planning Tribunal last night is an embarrassment for the Government, which will face questions about the extent of its own knowledge of his tax problems.

Judge Alan Mahon admitted yesterday he made a settlement of £20,000 (€25,400) with the Revenue Commissioners in 1992 and was named in that year’s list of tax defaulters who had settled with the Revenue.

His admission came a day before The Phoenix magazine was due to release details of the underpayment of £16,000 and the £4,000 penalty.