Finance spokesman for Ireland's Green Party, Dan Boyle suggested on Friday
that the Central Bank should be quizzed on the regulatory regime which allowed
Irish citizens to access offshore accounts located in Jersey and the Isle of
Man via financial institutions based in the Republic.
Following the Revenue Commission's revelation that it had netted some 892 million
euros in unpaid taxes from offshore sources, and that 111 million euros of this
had come from Bank of Ireland trust accounts held in the Channel Islands, Mr
Boyle observed that:
"These were financial products that were widely and very publicly advertised
- in the press, on the radio and through internet banners. The nod and wink
references in this advertising to accounts being offshore and being handled
"confidentially" surely should have sent alarm bells ringing a number
of years ago."
He continued:
"The Revenue Commissioners seem to be doing an excellent job in exposing
people's involvement in such an obvious tax avoidance scam. However serious
questions need to be put to the Central Bank as to why it did not stop the banks
and financial institutions from offering these products."
Mr Boyle, who is also a member of the Dail Public Accounts Committee, concluded
by suggesting that:
"The ongoing exposure of these accounts must not only concentrate on account
holders themselves but must also bring to book those who have encouraged and
fostered this evasion culture."