The Chairman of the Mahon Tribunal has confirmed that he disclosed a tax settlement with the Revenue Commissioners when he applied for a position as a judge.
Judge Alan Mahon issued a statement this evening, after being informed that tomorrow's Phoenix Magazine is to publish a story about his tax affairs.
It reports that he paid £20,000 to the Commissioners in the early 1990s.
Judge Mahon said the settlement was made as a result of a miscalculation of his tax liability in one year, and did not involve or arise from the use of any undisclosed bank accounts records.
The then barrister paid a penalty of nearly £4,000, after he was deemed to have underpaid tax by just over £16,000.
The average settlement is over £50,000.
Details of the payment and Judge Mahon's name appeared in the 1992 Annual Report of the Revenue Commissioners.
A Government spokeswoman said the matter was a personal one between Judge Mahon and the Revenue Commissioners.
Reacting to the statement, Fine Gael said that in disclosing this information to the Judicial Appointments Commission Judge Mahon had acted correctly.
However, the party said it would be useful if the Government clarified the extent of knowledge it had of this matter when making appointments to the Planning Tribunal.
