Td's Ansbacher Account

Sir - Two thoughts spring to mind about the revelations that the Fianna Fail TD Denis Foley was an Ansbacher account holder

Sir - Two thoughts spring to mind about the revelations that the Fianna Fail TD Denis Foley was an Ansbacher account holder. The first is that the reaction to the news, by politicians and others, exhibits once again the extraordinary tolerance of the Irish people in such matters. In almost any other democratic system in Europe, such revelations would result in immediate expulsion from parliament and party politics and a severe disciplinary measure from his or her party, as can be seen in the Helmut Kohl case.

Given Mr Foley's role in hounding of the country's bankers and financiers as the recent Public Accounts Committee hearings, the second notion that struck me was: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." To involve himself in the prosecution of that inquiry was a blatant act of hypocrisy - Yours, etc.,

Owen G. O'Shea, Glen Ellen, Milltown, Co Kerry.