THE JUSTICE MINISTER has said that the Government needs to consider potential impacts to publishing the quarterly tax defaulter list, following a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights last month. 

A ruling by the European Court last month found that publishing names and addresses of tax defaulters was “unjustified”, following a case taken by a Hungarian businessman against the Hungarian Government.

This ruling potentially impacts on the ability of Revenue to publish their quarterly tax defaulters list, which has been ongoing since 1983.

Justice Minister Simon Harris said that he believed there needed to be “detailed consideration” around the ruling and that he wanted to see the naming and shaming of tax defaulters continued.

“I think it definitely needs detailed consideration,” Harris said.

“My gut on this is that the naming of defaulters in Ireland has always been a tool used by Revenue and indeed it was introduced by the Fine Gael-led government as an effective and important tool.

I’d like to see it continue.

“If you don’t pay your taxes here in the country, I think it’s important that the community that you live in and which you benefit from public services, that people are aware of that.”

Harris added that the Government will have to receive legal advice on how best to proceed.

In the case, the Hungarian businessman – who remained anonymous – argued that the publication of his name and address was an “infringement of his right to respect for private life”.

The businessman also argued that the real purpose of the defaulters list was for “shaming and public humiliation”, in particular focusing in on the media attention that surrounded the lists.

“This public shaming list was a modern form of pillory, was extremely humiliating and caused huge distress,” he argued.