Sunday, December 06, 2009

Cork priest to leave parish ministry

A curate from North Cork who has made settlements of more than €600,000 with the Revenue Commissioners for tax evasion has been ordered by his Bishop to cease his involvement in commercial activity.

It has also been announced that Fr Tadhg O'Donovan, a curate at Whitechurch will leave his parish ministry for what is being described as 'a period of prayer and personal reflection'.

Fr Tadhg O'Donovan is the priest who used offensive language earlier this week to describe officials from the Revenue Commissioners, after it was revealed that he had twice been involved in serious tax evasion.

On Tuesday, his name was on a list of 76 tax defaulters published by the Revenue Commissioners, who revealed he had made a settlement with them of more than €433,000.

In March, 2008, he was fined €6,000 at Cork District Court on 10 summonses relating to his tax affairs, after he agreed a separate settlement of €213,000.

It was announced at Masses in Blarney and Whitechurch that Fr O'Donovan is to leave his parish ministry.

The announcement follows a meeting between Fr O'Donovan and the administrator of the Diocese, Archbishop Dermot Clifford.

According to the statement, Archbishop Clifford also instructed Fr O'Donovan to cease involvement in commercial activity.

Fr O'Donovan was unavailable for comment.
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SIC: RTÉ