A CUT-price refuse company with convictions for illegal dumping has been forced to settle a massive Revenue bill for failing to pay all its VAT.
Ferry’s Refuse Limited, with an address at Rossbracken, Manorcunningham, under-declared VAT of €193,141.
The company was raided by Revenue officials as part of a wide-ranging investigation.
Ferry’s – currently offering half-price refuse collection deals to customers in Donegal – had to pay interest of €23,693 on its VAT bill.
It was also fined €57,942 for the default – and forced to pay an overall bill of €274,776.
Last year the company’s owner Jim Ferry was fined €12,000, given a six month suspended sentence and ordered to pay costs of more than €30,000 to Donegal County Council.
Ferry faced charges relating to the illegal disposal of household waste at Doire Uí Fríll, Falcarragh, on June 10, 2010.
The case followed an extensive undercover investigation by Donegal County Council. At Letterkenny Court, Judge Paul Kelly was shown covert video recordings showing Ferry’s distinctive green and yellow bin lorry dumping waste in pre-excavated holes in a field across from his mother’s house in June 2010.
A subsequent geophysical study found that an estimated 1,000 cubic metres of rubbish was buried in the area.
The court heard that father of six, Jim Ferry, had previous convictions relating to illegal dumping. Judge Kelly said Ferry was “slow to appreciate the lesson.” He said the competition is cut throat across the country and “clearly competitors have an interest that everyone is playing on a level playing field.”
The court also heard that Section 13 of the Waste Management Act allows for fines to be paid to the local authority. Judge Kelly asked that this be done.