Retired consultant tops tax defaulters list, owing €1.8m to the taxman
A retired medical consultant has settled with Revenue for €1.86m in relation to the under-declaration of income tax after an audit, according to the latest quarterly published settlements.
Valerie Donnelly of Crosstown, Wexford Town, settled for just under €1.1m in tax, almost €384,000 in interest, and €342,000 in penalties, according to the latest quarterly published settlements from Revenue.
This was the only case which exceeded €1m.
Furniture retailer Michael Thorpe of Corah, Tombrack, Enniscorthy in Wexford settled for just over €480,000 in tax, interest and penalties in relation to the under-declaration of income tax and non-declaration of Vat.
Cork-based upholsterer Patrick Higgins, with an address given at Unit 20, Rockgrove Industrial Estate in Glounthaune, settled for just over €298,000 in relation to the under-declaration of income tax and Vat.
The total value of the 61 settlements with Revenue was more than €9.42m.
€4.23m was the remaining outstanding balance owed to Revenue as of March 31.
Revenue published its list in two parts today.
The first concerned court determinations which details cases in which a person has failed to make a qualifying disclosure and has been penalised either through a fine, imprisonment or other court penalties. The full list can be found here.
The second list, found here, details settlements published when the voluntary disclosure options provided by Revenue are not availed of and the default arises as a result of careless or deliberate behaviour.
In comparison with the previous quarter in the last three months of 2017, there has been a decrease in the amount of money owed to the taxman.
Revenue agreed settlements of €10.2m relating to 64 cases from October to December, and as of December 31, almost €5m was still outstanding.
Of the latest cases, 24 were for amounts exceeding €100,000.
Dublin city had the most tax defaulters with 9, while counties Cork, Meath and Wexford had six each.
Furniture retailer Michael Thorpe of Corah, Tombrack, Enniscorthy in Wexford settled for just over €480,000 in tax, interest and penalties in relation to the under-declaration of income tax and non-declaration of Vat.
Cork-based upholsterer Patrick Higgins, with an address given at Unit 20, Rockgrove Industrial Estate in Glounthaune, settled for just over €298,000 in relation to the under-declaration of income tax and Vat.
When it comes to occupations, there was huge variety on the list, including a retired priest, a casino operator and a former solicitor.
Nine individuals were listed as landlords, five as a builder or building contractor, and four as farmers.
Revenue says it ''vigorously pursues collection/enforcement of unpaid settlements'', but accepts that in some cases, collecting the full unpaid amount will not be possible, for example, if a company is in liquidation.
In the 3 month period to 31 March 2018, a total of 1,251 Revenue audit and investigations, together with 19,991 Risk Management Interventions (Aspect Queries & Profile Interviews), were settled by Revenue, resulting in yield of €115.63m in tax, interest, and penalties.
