Revelations will leave judge red-faced

THIS morning’s revelations that Judge Alan Mahon made a £20,000 tax settlement with the Revenue Commissioners over 10 years ago will be acutely embarrassing for the new chairman of the Mahon Tribunal.

As The Phoenix magazine, which published the revelations, pointed out, Judge Mahon, who replaced Fergus Flood in July, is overseeing an investigation into allegations of tax evasion. Whatever about embarrassment, irony seldom comes so complete.

According to The Phoenix, Judge Mahon paid a total of £20,000 to the Revenue Commissioners in 1992 after a tax audit confirmed he had underpaid his tax bill in a previous year.