Former Taoiseach Fingered In Tax Tribunal

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

16 June 2005

It emerged this week at a hearing of the Moriarty Tribunal that during his time as Irish leader, former Taoiseach, Charles Haughey arranged a meeting between the owner of the Dunnes Stores chain, Ben Dunne and the chairman of the Revenue Commission, during a period in which Dunnes Stores was facing a EUR39 million tax bill.

According to an Irish Independent report, the Tribunal was told that the meeting, and the fact that the then chief of the tax authority, Seamus Pairceir went on to become a tax adviser to the chain and helped it to successfully appeal the tax liability, was not revealed to an earlier enquiry.

The Moriarty Tribunal is looking into whether "acts and decisions" undertaken by the former Taoiseach were influenced by the EUR8.6 million in personal payments that he received during his political career.

It emerged during the previous McCracken Tribunal that Dunne had personally given Mr Haughey IR£1.1 million, but a further £300,000 afforded to the politician by Dunnes Stores in 1987 was not made known to investigators until recently.

Recommended