Court delay holds up action against tax dodgers

ACTION against Ansbacher account holders is being held up because a key legal ruling has not been delivered nine months after the case was heard.

The judgment could release thousands of secret documents collected by the Ansbacher inspectors and help the Revenue Commissioners pin down the full extent of the tax evasion facilitated by the offshore scheme. The private papers are also wanted by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement trying to bring criminal prosecutions against some companies and individuals and disbar others for failure to co-operate with the Ansbacher inquiry.

Application was made to the High Court more than a year ago for access to the documents and the case was heard last November, after which judgment was reserved. The High Court won't sit again until October. Director of Corporate Enforcement Paul Appleby said whatever the outcome of the ruling, it was necessary to have it to determine how to pursue the matters raised in the inspectors' report.