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Denis O’Brien wins High Court case, will not have to pay €57m tax bill

The case focused on whether or not the billionaire businessman lived at a property on Raglan Road in Ballsbridge.

Updated 22:56

THE HIGH COURT has upheld a ruling by the Revenue Appeals Commissioner that Denis O’Brien is not liable for a €57 million tax bill.

The Inspector of Taxes had argued that the billionaire should pay €56.86 million in Capital Gains Tax on the €284.8 million received when Esat Digifone was sold to British Telecom in 2000.

In her judgement, Justice Mary Laffoy ruled that 6 Raglan Road – which O’Brien bought in 2000 – was not the permanent residence of the businessman during the 2000/2001 tax year.

Under Ireland and Portugal’s Double Taxation Convention, then, O’Brien is not liable for the tax bill.

Justice Laffoy said she was satisfied that the Appeal Commissioner did not adopt a wrong or mistaken view of the law.

She agreed that O’Brien lived in Portugal at the time of the sale. Revenue had argued the point but the Court found the premises were “unavailable for residential use” during June 2000 and February 2002 because of commissioned works.

Originally published 15:11

Pat Rabbitte: I’ve no concerns about Denis O’Brien’s invite to Irish economic forum

Read: Here’s what some successful people were doing aged 25

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    May 30th 2023, 6:51 PM

    Is Charlie Flanagan still TD Ah here I give up

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    Mute goldiefish72
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    May 30th 2023, 6:45 PM

    This government has managed to get the lifetime of their own government out of the Commission on the Defence Forces. It was lauded in the beginning as a template for change. That was in 2019. The public and others were invited to make submissions in 2020, With the report due for release that December. December came and went, and the report was finally released in february, the Govt sat on it until making the obvious decision to accept the recommendations of LOA2 in July, but with an implementation group who would report back in 6 months. We’ll not go to LOA2 right away though, we’ll do it in phases, increasing defence spending in increments equal to the cost of One military aircraft per year.Here we are now almost June 2023, with nothing substantial achieved apart from a few more high paid civil service posts filled.

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    Mute Chris Jordan
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    May 30th 2023, 7:39 PM

    Tanagan would have us fighting under the Union Flag if he could. Does anybody really care what he says in this day and age?

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    Mute Brian Boru
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    May 30th 2023, 6:34 PM

    Ireland should be a respected neutral country with an army capable of defending the country. Personally I would like weapons that could kill lots of people, this would deter even the worlds biggest countries from invading us.

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    Mute Gerry Dornan
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    May 30th 2023, 8:31 PM

    @Brian Boru:
    Nukes…

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    Mute alan
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    May 30th 2023, 8:46 PM

    @Gerry Dornan: whoopee cushions. Can you imagine Putin sitting on one?

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    May 30th 2023, 7:41 PM

    Maybe he should get the black and Tans to help out

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    Mute Thomas O'Donnell
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    May 30th 2023, 8:35 PM

    I’m surprised at Cathal Berry. He should know the one person that will slow this process down to a crawl on that committee. Waiting to appoint a Head of Transformation (there must be a civil servant due retirement)someone who will then appoint someone and hey presto it will be election time. The Sec of the Department was put there for a reason. To make sure Defence is treated at a snails pace. Give nothing to the Military at all costs. I have never seen a Secretary of the Department do or introduce anything constructive EVER. Thats why they are kept.

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    Mute Den O'Con
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    May 30th 2023, 9:50 PM

    So the chairperson in charge of a committee for implementing modernisation after meeting 6 times says that a head of transformation is due to be appointed but that other measures are delayed because of the IRG group publication which delayed the development of an implement implementation plan, and that the establishment of an (enquiry) and development of the terms of reference for it and potential interface on both of those and ensuring that the implementation plan is comprehensive also delayed. Please read that back and realise why so much goes at the snails pace mentioned in the article

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    Mute McMahon G
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    May 30th 2023, 7:00 PM

    We should arm and uniform our new Irish brothers, that would be great for everyone.

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    Mute Nestor
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    May 31st 2023, 12:28 AM

    So the notoriously thin-skinned Flanagan, who was rightly demoted after the last general election, is mouthing off again…

    Yawn!

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    Mute Real Chief Police Trump MAGA 2024
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    May 30th 2023, 6:41 PM

    I have a copy of the Epstein Flight log…

    go to http://www.realchiefpolice.com or
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/truther

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    Mute goldiefish72
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    May 30th 2023, 9:18 PM

    @Real Chieflice Trump MAGA 2024:
    Tosspot

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