It’s time to prosecute tax evaders

STARTLING disclosures by the Revenue Commissioners that offshore schemes could yield more than €1bn in unpaid tax have focused the spotlight on Ireland’s pervasive culture of tax evasion.

Despite the odium associated with offshore schemes, bogus non-resident accounts and the withholding of DIRT tax, almost €900m has so far been collected by investigators.

In recent months alone they netted €111m from secret offshore accounts and trust arrangements, tailor-made for tax evasion.