Moriarty Tribunal - Dunne’s tax bill tale is unbelievable

IT beggars belief that businessman Ben Dunne has no glimmer of recollection about meetings with the Revenue Commission chairman concerning a tax bill for nearly £39 million (€58.3m).

Nor, incredibly, could he explain why disgraced ex-Taoiseach Charles Haughey was involved in arranging the meeting with the country’s top tax official Seamus Paircéir who offered to reduce the bill by £23m (€34.4m).

On retirement, the taxman worked as a consultant for Dunnes. And the tax bill was finally slashed to zero.

Whether the Moriarty Tribunal believes the former supermarket tycoon’s tale of a “mental blackout” remains to be seen. The public is unlikely to swallow it.

The hot question is whether a stg£282,000 (€421,285) payment to Mr Haughey from Dunnes Stores at the time was a pay-back for arranging the meetings?

Is it any wonder people are cynical about politicians and their murky dealings with a golden circle of wealthy businessmen?