Tipperary TD Michael Lowry has said that if necessary he will go to the European courts to halt his trial for alleged tax offences.
Today Mr Lowry failed in his attempt to stop his prosecution for alleged tax offences relating to a €372,000 payment made in August 2002 to an Isle of Man trust account.
Speaking this afternoon, Mr Lowry once again referred to the decision of the Tax Appeal commissioners last year that he has no tax liability.
He has also continued to take issue with the decision to transfer his trial from Tipperary to Dublin, claiming that this is the case even though he has no financial liability and never resided in Dublin.
He also described the timing of this ruling, three days before the general election, as ‘extraordinary’.
In dismissing Deputy Lowry’s action today, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan said that the Tipperary TD failed to identify any point when the prosecution became unlawful, adding that his case was ‘devoid of any substance or merit’ and was ‘built on… sand’.
Mr Lowry has said that he will be appealing today’s decision to the Court of Appeal and if necessary to the European courts.
He added that both he and his company are in possession of tax clearance certificates.
