Tax defaulters - We shouldn’t have to carry the cheats

APART from the €22 million paid in settlement by the Bailey brothers company Bovale, which has been well-documented, the Revenue Commissioners netted a considerable €23.5 million in the quarterly tax defaulters list published yesterday.

Former GAA stars, as well as an optician, musician, solicitor and an inevitable clergyman figured in the list — published elsewhere in this newspaper.

The amounts paid in settlement to the taxman vary and arise because they were due in unpaid income tax, corporation tax, VAT, PRSI, PAYE, as well as some offshore assets, such as those held in bogus non-resident accounts.