Michael Jackson’s new management team is checking out the benefits of Ireland’s tax incentives for creative artists, writes Jan Battles.

The pop star has been in Ireland for the past 10 days “on personal business”. But a move could become permanent after his advisers study the artists’ exemption scheme introduced by Charles Haughey in 1969.

It was announced last week that 47-year-old Jackson, was relocating to Europe to restart his career. He dismissed his previous handlers, replacing them with Raymone K Bain, a spokesman during his trial, as general manager of the Michael Jackson Company, which has just been set up.

His advisers said yesterday they were examining the artists’ scheme. Van Alexander of Davis, Bain and Associates in Washington DC said: “I have some materials here that I had pulled down (on the tax exemption) but I have not had a chance to look at them yet. I will today.” He would bring the material to Jackson’s attention “if he doesn’t already know. He may well know much more than I”.

The scheme allows artists, writers, composers and sculptors to forgo paying tax on income made from the sale of their works.

It has been of enormous benefit to pop stars who, like Jackson, compose their own material. A role model for the King of Pop could be the equally reclusive Enya, who lives in a castle in Dalkey and is worth €100m. She is believed to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tax break. Other recipients are said to include Van Morrison and the Corrs.

Foreign stars who moved to Ireland to benefit from the regime include thriller-writer Frederick Forsyth, Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting and Booker Prize winner D B C Pierre. Def Leppard and the singer Lisa Stansfield also benefited after making their homes in Ireland.

Alexander said that living in Ireland was “a possibility” for Jackson. “He is looking at a lot of (properties) over there. Right now he is getting his business affairs together and making a decision on where he is going to live. Hopefully that will be done rather promptly and then he will get on with his career.”

Jackson arrived at Cork airport on an Aer Lingus flight from Paris 10 days ago with his two sons, Prince Michael I and Prince Michael II, and his daughter, Paris Michael. They were collected by a chauffeur-driven mini-bus.

It was widely speculated that they were staying at Blackwater Castle in Cork but its owner, Patrick Nordstrom, has denied Jackson is there. It is similarly not true that he is at Castlehyde, the home of Michael Flatley in Fermoy. He has not been seen since his arrival in Cork.

Source: Times Online

Category: General