Inquiries earn taxman €283m

THE taxman has recovered €283 million from special investigations into tax-dodging schemes, the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report says.

The DIRT inquiry has yielded €227m from people who have voluntarily admitted holding bogus non-resident accounts and a further €500,000 from people under investigation.

But this investigation is set to continue for a number of years and fives cases are being considered for prosecution.

The National Irish Bank offshore investment scheme investigation is also continuing with settlements reached to date worth €31m, including interest and penalties of €7m. At this point €7m is on account from unresolved cases. Seven cases have been sent to the DPP for criminal investigation with a view to prosecution. Companies which picked up expenses for political parties have paid almost €500,000 in settlements to the Revenue Commissioners.

The taxman has received more than €17m from Ansbacher account holders, the C&AG’s John Purcell reports.

And the Revenue is expecting to find out in November that documents gathered by Ansbacher inspectors but not published in the report can be used in pursuit of tax arrears.

Revenue’s special team of eight inspectors and support staff are investigating 300 cases directly involving Ansbacher-type accounts and other cases involving offshore funds and deposits.

The Comptroller and Auditor Generals report says payments of €17.23m have been received in 51 cases to date:

€11.24m from 44 cases involving Ansbacher-type arrangements.

€5.99m from seven cases involving offshore funds and deposits.

The report details the outcome of investigations into five cases:

Case settled for €330,971, including interest and penalties of €190,461.

Case settled for €292,040, including interest and penalties of €169,580.

Case settled for €279,342, including interest and penalties of €144,996.

Case settled for €250,138, including interest and penalties of €177,399.

Case settled with no liability.

The Revenue Commissioners are comparing the information published in the High Court Inspectors’ report in July with the results to date of their own investigations. An application to the High Court for the additional documents gathered by the inspectors is expected to be heard in November.

The C&AG’s report notes matters disclosed at the Flood and Moriarty tribunals suggesting tax evasion may have occurred are being investigated as they come to notice.