Sir, – The old adage that if it looks too good to be true, it usually is, and that there is no such thing as a free lunch both apply when considering the news that Goldman Sachs is to advise on the proposed sale of the (reluctantly) State-owned Allied Irish Banks ("Goldman Sachs to advise Government on pro bono basis", January 12th). Goldman Sachs, which Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone magazine famously described as the "vampire squid" of global capitalism that goes about looking to "stick its blood funnel into anything that smells like money", is, we are now to believe, working "pro bono" as a charitable gesture for "arse out of their trousers" countries like ours. Forgive me, but I smell a rat.– Yours, etc,
DECLAN DOYLE,
Lisdowney,
Kilkenny.