What a country we have people go to jail for dole fraud yet this clown is likely to get away scot free. I hope the people of Wexford give this "Socialist" the boot at the next GE. This sends out the message that if your a TD you can do what you like? Its hard to stomach for people who have felt the wrath of the Revenue.
Mick Wallace off the hook after €1.4m tax dodge - National News - Independent.ie
What cases have you seen of similar situations with similar settlements which resulted in prosecutions? Isn't that statement completely baseless unless you have?This sends out the message that if your a TD you can do what you like?
Courts toughen their stance on tax evasion - The Irish Times - Mon, Jun 18, 2012Originally Posted by Sync
This is paddywhackery gone mad. All he is going to get in trouble over is his pink shirt in the Dail when the new rules about dress come into place.
How many people who dont pay there taxes or commit Social welfare fraud are jailed? Its all the same as the state is being defrauded.
Nice. To expand slightly:
Car dealer given four-year sentence for tax evasion - Courts, National News - Independent.ie
Man (62) jailed for tax fraud - The Irish Times - Sat, May 12, 2012A car dealer was jailed for four years yesterday for failing to pay more than €220,000 in VAT on second-hand vehicles.
John Hughes (55) has since re-paid the outstanding amount of €226,718, which was due on 119 cars.
He also offered his bail bond of €50,000 and an additional €20,000 from his share of the sale of a French site to go towards the fine and penalties that will be due.
The court heard Hughes used the VAT number from a defunct company that he had worked in for eight months to import the vehicles from the UK.
I'd dismiss the McDonald example as the guy hasn't repaid it and it was a part of a litany of crimes. The Hughes case would seem a pretty direct parallel though in terms of the offence committed.THE OPERATOR of a Cork company “who lost everything” was jailed yesterday for two years for personal and business tax offences amounting to almost €600,000.
Barry McDonald (62), proprietor of McDonald Cleaning Services Ltd, Unit 9 Rockgrove Industrial estate, Little Island, Co Cork, and of Factory Hill, Kilcoolishal, Glanmire, was given a three-year jail sentence with the last year suspended.
From the articles, Wallace has settled for 50% over what he denied the exchequer. I'd personally bet that's got more to do with the decision not to prosecute than his role as a TD is. But again, we're both just offering supposition because there aren't clear guidelines on this.
There does need to be a (public) discussion on how this is approached, not specifically for this case, but in general. If I admit guilt on white collar crime and offer a huge settlement (Say 50% over what I took), should that see me not only not jailed (thus costing more money to the tax payer, taking up the slot a violent offender could have etc), but not even prosecuted?
For me, particularly in these times, I'm happier with a huge settlement and net saving for the taxpayer, but surely there needs to be a prosecution, a plea and have that settlement as part of a court deal and receive a suspended sentence? If people are guilty of crimes then just ignoring that doesn't work for me, it needs to be on the record.
'DOH!!!' Its very simple why Wallace isn't being prosecuted or bankrupted. Just look at who benefits from him relinquishing his seat. So Johny mate given your 'Eoghan Harrisque' convictions I'd be finding ways to spin this tale into the some commendation of the innate sense of forgiveness in Irishdom.
FG came 6th (2400 clear of the guy who came 7th). Given the left leaning nature of Wallace it's not unreasonable to think Labour (Who have an established, strong presence in Wexford) would compete hard with FG for the seat. But FG, who took 35% of the first pref votes, would probably win pretty handily in a run off in the event Wallace stepped down. If anything, the govt would clearly have a benefit for him relinquishing.
So yeah your point seems to be without merit really doesn't it?
So we have a tax doger in the Dail.
The Irish media does not look too upset. They report it, but after a day it is forgotten.
Now if there was a tax dodger in the UK Parlaiment, or the US Congress, then they would get upset.
But Wallace has openly said he will not be paying Revenue.
He will not be liquidating any assets that he put in family members names.
He will not be sacrificing more than 50% of his Dail salary (and 0% of his Dail pension)
What is the benefit of a settlement, if no money changes hands?
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