Revenue probe missed 50 tax dodgers

THE taxman missed out on almost 50 tax dodgers who held bogus non-resident accounts when apparently trawling through the records of a financial institution.

The failure to detect the accounts holders raised concerns about the effectiveness of the way the Revenue Commissioners examined financial institutions when assessing DIRT tax due to the Exchequer on bogus non-resident accounts, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General.

After conducting an audit of the financial institution to assess DIRT tax liabilities due on bogus non-resident accounts, the Revenue Commissioners said there was no more tax due from accounts held with that institution.