Lawyers, landlords and business people paid more than €10 million to the Revenue in the three months to September 30th for failing to pay tax, new figures show.
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford plant and machinery dealer, Francis Cullen, faces the biggest liability, €1.774 million in tax, interest and penalties for not paying PAYE, social insurance and VAT, which Revenue said was still unpaid.
The agency published its latest defaulters’ list on Tuesday, naming 30 people and businesses who paid more than €50,000 in tax, penalties and interest over the third quarter of the year.
The total amount for which those taxpayer settled was €10.5 million, said a statement.
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Revenue noted that audits and other action to boost compliance yielded almost €177 million during the same three-month period.
“These published settlements reflect only a portion of all Revenue compliance interventions,” it said.
Senior counsel Michael Collins, of Clooney Lodge, Quin, Co Clare, paid €409,820 in total, the result of a Revenue audit that found under-declaration of income tax.
Revenue describes Mr Collins, who works on the south western courts’ circuit, as a barrister and landlord. The total tax due was €267,000, the balance was interest and penalties.
Lorcan Connolly, another prominent senior counsel who works on the south western circuit, paid €365,501 following an audit that also found under declaration of income tax.
With an address at 13 An tSean Dún, Roslevan, Ennis, Co Clare, Revenue states that he is a barrister and landlord. The principal amount of tax due was €237,000.
Both lawyers have offices at Ancona, New Road, Ennis, according to the Bar Council directory. Neither had responded to a request for comment by the time of going to press.
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They are among several people and businesses from the south west that feature on the list following Revenue audits.
Anthony Connolly, of the Limerick and Tipperary Tony Connolly Meanswear business, paid €459,628. The tax due was €272,600, while the balance was interest and penalties.
Mr Connolly, of Cahernorry, Ballyneety said that the liability dated back some years and stemmed from advice he received.
“I have paid it,” he pointed out, adding that he had to sell a number of assets to do so.
The law requiring Revenue to publish names and addresses of defaulting taxpayers is under fire as some individuals fear risks to their safety as a result.
Days ago tax adviser Brendan Brady of Dublin firm Brady & Associates said that social media influencers and content creators were concerned at the threat posed by making their addresses public.
