There was universal agreement among Opposition parties last night that Mr Denis Foley's position as vice-chairman of the Dail Committee of Public Accounts had become untenable following the revelations at the Moriarty tribunal that he had been an Ansbacher account-holder.
The deputy leader of Fine Gael, Mrs Nora Owen, said the latest information "probably made Deputy Foley's position on the PAC unsustainable". However, she added that it was important to reserve any further comment until he issued a public statement clarifying the matter.
Mrs Owen said the Taoiseach should also make a full statement on the issue, as it was necessary for Mr Ahern to clarify exactly when he was informed that Mr Foley was a holder of an Ansbacher account.
The Labour Parry spokesman on finance, Mr Derek McDowell, said the revelations raised very serious questions for the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste as well as Mr Foley.
He was "shocked and surprised" that Mr Foley had failed to disclose that he was an Ansbacher account-holder to the Dail and to the other members of the PAC. The Green Party TD Mr John Gormley, who had called for Mr Foley's resignation to maintain the Dail committee's credibility, said the revelations at the Moriarty tribunal were "a serious blow" for the image of politics.
The Socialist Party TD, Mr Joe Higgins, called for urgent statements from the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste. He asked whether they had allowed Mr Foley to sit on the PAC investigation of the banks' tax evasion "when they must have known of Mr Foley's involvement with Ansbacher Accounts".