Three Dragons refuse to reveal details of tax paid

The three Dragon’s Den businessmen bidding to become Ireland’s next president have refused to reveal how much or little tax they have paid in the past seven years — despite insisting on full presidential financial transparency.

Peter Casey, Gavin Duffy and Sean Gallagher all declined to release the information to the Irish Examiner after a week of requests, with Mr Casey hitting out at how Ireland has become “obsessed” with money.

Since entering the presidential election campaign, all three of the former Dragon’s Den panellists have repeatedly attacked current President Michael D Higgins over concerns surrounding a lack of financial transparency at Áras an Uachtaráin.

However, despite the chorus of calls for financial transparency, Mr Casey, Mr Duffy and Mr Gallagher have all refused to reveal their own personal finances.

At the start of last week, the Irish Examiner asked all three businessmen if they have ever been on the tax defaulters’ list and the amount of tax they have paid in Ireland and abroad since 2011.

In response, the trio repeatedly refused to give details of their circumstances other than to confirm they or their direct relatives have never been on the tax defaulters’ list.

Mr Casey, who has spent much of his business career in the US and Australia, said he will “only do so if all of the other candidates do so”, and asked: “When did Ireland become so obsessed about money?”

“Irish society was better off when the integrity and humanity of an individual was more important than their financial affairs,” Mr Casey — who has raised questions about Mr Higgins’ spending levels — said through a spokesperson.

Asked about his tax situation in the US, Mr Casey added “yes, being a green card holder and permanent resident in the USA, my wife and I have to pay taxes on our worldwide incomes in the USA”, before his spokesperson refused to provide any further information.

Mr Duffy said through a spokesperson that all “appropriate” Irish taxes “have been paid on my private income for the last seven years”, adding his companies are “compliant” with tax laws, but declining to explain if he has paid any foreign tax since 2011.

Similarly, while stressing Mr Gallagher has voluntarily provided full business details to Sipo, the third Dragon’s spokesperson simply said “no” when asked for tax details.

Today’s budget 2019 is expected to see income tax and universal social charge cuts for thousands of workers— but no action against highly paid individuals.