Priest apologises for rant against Revenue
A tax-dodging priest was forced to make a grovelling public apology tonight after he launched a foul-mouthed tirade over a €433,000 revenue bill.
Father Tadhg O’Donovan lashed out when he was named and shamed on the top 20 defaulters for failing to fully declare rent money.
His Archbishop, Dermot Clifford, also apologised directly to the head of the Revenue Commissioners after the landlord priest claimed tax inspectors were inconsiderate, inhumane and had driven people to suicide.
The curate of Whitechurch, in Co Cork, also accused officials of releasing the tax-dodgers list to coincide with the fall-out of a sickening report on clerical child abuse.
In a statement released through the Catholic Communications Office, Fr O’Donovan apologised for the offensive remarks he made against the Revenue Commissioners.
“I unreservedly withdraw what I said about them in relation to the timing of the publication of the list, the offensive allegation that they were responsible for suicides, the very intemperate tone and obscene language of my comments, and the statement that the Revenue Commissioners were inconsiderate and inhumane,” said Fr O’Donovan.
“I made these remarks in the heat of the moment and did not realise that they would be published.”
In March last year Fr O’Donovan made a €213,000 settlement with the Revenue Commissioners and was fined €6,000 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on 10 charges relating to his tax affairs.
After his latest settlement, he told the Irish Daily Star that Revenue chiefs were the “biggest shower of b****rds on the planet” and claimed they had blood on their hands as they had driven three people he knew to suicide.
Archbishop Clifford, of the Diocese of Cloyne, emailed a personal apology to Josephine Feehily, the head of the Revenue Commissioners and met with senior churchmen, including a canon solicitor.
“The Archbishop has had a brief telephone conversation with Fr O’Donovan and all he can say at this point that he has demanded that he publish a full and immediate apology,” said the Bishop’s spokesman.
“The Archbishop takes a most serious view of this matter.
“Further comment is postponed until the Archbishop has met with Fr O’Donovan.”
The spokesman for Ms Feehily said the Revenue boss had responded to the Archbishop and thanked him on behalf of staff at the Revenue for his apology.
“The matter is now closed as far as we are concerned,” he added.
