Claims of U-turn on tax status decision

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern changed his story about his personal finances once more yesterday, admitting the Revenue Commissioners could issue a decision on his tax status at any time.

Last week, Mr Ahern said Revenue could not finish its examination of his tax affairs until the Mahon Tribunal had finished its investigation of his personal finances.

“The position taken by the Revenue is that they can’t finalise it until Mahon’s work is finished. So, I mean, that’s fine by me,” said the Taoiseach. But yesterday, on first day of Dáil business following the six-week Christmas recess, Mr Ahern indicated he was wrong to have said that.

Responding to questions from Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, Mr Ahern said it was incorrect of him to suggest Revenue would have to wait until the end of the tribunal to determine his tax status. He said both Revenue and the Standards in Public Office Commission believed it was possible to deal with the issues now.

Mr Ahern cannot obtain a tax clearance certificate until Revenue declares his tax affairs are in order.

If Revenue finds Mr Ahern owes tax from the 1990s, it would raise serious questions over his position.

The standards commission meanwhile, has been asked by Fine Gael to investigate how Mr Ahern obtained a tax clearance certificate following the 2002 general election.

Fine Gael believes Mr Ahern cannot have been tax-compliant at the time given the questions raised by the tribunal about his personal finances in the 1990s.

However, Mr Ahern has repeatedly stressed that, to the best of his belief, he was tax-compliant. Yesterday, Mr Gilmore asked a series of questions about Mr Ahern’s tax status. In response, Mr Ahern confirmed he had made a voluntary disclosure to Revenue.

But the Taoiseach rejected Mr Gilmore’s claim that this amounted to an acceptance by Mr Ahern that his tax affairs were not in order.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, comprehensive and detailed submissions were made to the Revenue,” said Mr Ahern.

“I understand these are being considered by Revenue as part of the normal process. A voluntary disclosure was the normal process; it was not an acceptance that there was any issue wrong.”