Madam, - The swingeing personal fine and enormous penalty which the financial regulator has seen fit to impose on Sean Quinn and his business complex stand in marked contrast to the laissez-faire attitude hitherto adopted by this office regarding the doings of the Irish banks and their hugely bonused moguls over the last decade.
Mr Quinn has admitted his actions, has pointed out that his overall position remains financially healthy, and stressed that no suffering has been imposed on the public. The bankers have neither admitted to any misbehaviour, nor accepted blame for the huge burden their greed-driven activities have loaded on the taxpayers who must underwrite their irresponsible dealings.
It is to be hoped that the Financial Regulator will now show the same alacrity in penalising those in the banking world who have so far shown not the slightest sign of being either ready or willing to accept their fair (and massive) share of the blame for the catastrophic debts which lie before us all.
I for one am not holding my breath on this, though. The Financial Regulator's track record so far rates a large B minus. - Yours, etc,
DAVID GRANT,
Mount Pleasant,
Waterford.