Sir, – Denis Staunton (“Ireland increasingly seen by China as a bridge to the EU”, World, Analysis, January 18th) says that Irish foreign policy is shaped in part by a concern and respect for the world’s poor.
Given our role as one of the world’s biggest tax havens, which reduces the tax base of many poorer countries, it is hard to see this as anything more than lip service.
So much of the generosity of the Irish people, and the contributions of the State itself to the developing world, are undermined by the untaxed billions we facilitate flowing through our financial services industry. – Yours, etc,
PAUL CONNOLLY,
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Cavan.