Michael Lowry case has ‘shades of Father Ted to it’

The Office of the Appeal Commissioner had clearly found Independent TD Michael Lowry misappropriated some €372,000 from his own company in 2002, lawyers for the DPP have told the High Court.

The matter had “shades of Father Ted” to it and the court should cast “a very jaundiced” eye on Mr Lowry’s argument that there was “nothing to see here”, said Remy Farrell, for the DPP.

Mr Lowry, in his continuing High Court case aimed at stopping a criminal trial on tax charges, had asserted, following an Office of the Appeals Commissioners hearing last year, that he has no personal tax liability. Any corporate tax liability was “self-corrected” and the outstanding liability was a “very modest” surcharge of €2,410, said his counsel.