BS: IRISH SCANDAL

Subject: IRISH SCANDAL
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 12:52 PM

The Ansbacher report came out in the Irish-Times today. George Orwell, "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."

Director of the Central Bank of Ireland, Mr Ken O'Reilly-Hyland

Former taoiseach Mr Charles J Haughey and his son-in-law

Dublin property developer Mr John Byrne

Guinness and Mahon's computer specialist Mr Padraig Collery

Mr John Guinness

Former rugby player Mr Ollie Walsh

Eight members of the board of Cement Roadstone Holdings

Two Hundred MORE Named.

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: The Pooka
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 02:54 PM

Shocking. / What about Bertie? / Have to read up on this. Can a foreigner get it on Irish Times without paying their new hefty subscription rates? (Durty capitalists :)/ Why can't Eire have corruption-free government & business, like we have here in the Good Ole USA? / Somebody said---was it here on the 'Cat?---that if Watergate had happened in Ireland, the differences would have been that (a) everybody would have known right away who Deep Throat was, and (b) Nixon wouldn't have had to resign.

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: Allan Dennehy
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 04:47 PM

When I think of all the corruption in Irish politics, I always think of the song "Such a parcel of rogues in a nation." There are other free Irish Newspapers on the net, not as good as the Times: Irish Independant is probably the next best.

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: Noreen
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 05:34 PM

Would GUEST like to tell us more about this, or at least provide a link for those who want to know more?

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 07:30 PM

Noreen, many years ago Charlie Haughey's accountant Des Traynor came up with a scam for using an offshore bank (Ansbacher) in the Cayman Islands to avoid tax, big time. Quite literally scores of people were caught up in it - maybe hundreds - the full list is now on the net (since yesterday) but I haven't followed the case in detail for months.

The Irish High Court instigated a major inquiry - by far the biggest of the inquiries and tribunals that have been underway in recent years, doing great damage to public confidence in the governance of Ireland. The report, which came out yesterday, costs 25 euros and is about a metre thick.

The point of the first post may well be that the Irish government, Irish Times etc might have been scared to publish names for fear of legal action in other jurisdictions. If so, it has been overtaken by events, because the list is now out there, as was inevitable.

Noreen and The Pooka, you could START HERE. It's an index page for today's (7 July) Sunday Times. In this case an index of their many pieces on the Ansbacher scandal! To go farther you have to register. (I have been registered for several years with no downside - no spam nor any other hassle.)

Just an aside, but for future reference The Pooka might like to bookmark http://www.nuzhound.com which is a huge collection of cuttings about Northern Ireland. It's always up-to-the-minute, and includes all slants.

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: firínne
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 08:00 PM

What's new???? If there wasn't any scandal concerning the government and big businessmen, {here in Ireland}, the people would have no confidence in them!!! They'd be wondering what was wrong!

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 10:35 PM

Thanks, Fionn.

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: The Pooka
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 10:36 PM

Thank you VERY much, Fionn, for the background info and the links. Much appreciated. Am bookmarking. // Firinne - yeah, these issues (granted, prior to this big report) didn't seem to hurt Fianna Fail in the recent elections, did they? It was the main *opposition*, Fine Gael, that collapsed instead! (I imagine they're not untouched by all this either though - ?) // Meanwhile, here in the States, President Dubya is riding high. Indeed, he's giving a big speech Tuesday, on Wall Street mind you, about the need to improve our corporate ethics. He's always been a big booster of that y'know. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA aaah hell, it's so pathetic it ain't even funny. Bah.

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: Hrothgar
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 07:20 AM

Tammany Hall had a big Irish element, didn't it?

Who taught whom?

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 01:15 PM

Every rich bastard the world over fiddles the system,look at the recent csadals in the US. The silly bastards in Ireland just happened to be caught.Tax man.

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: Deda
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 03:22 PM

Ancient Roman history is full of financial scandals, stories of bribery, including bribed juries who were trying public officials on charges of bribery. Which offices paid off the best, and which cost the most to buy one's way into, were common knowledge, so widespread that they've largely survived. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

Subject: RE: BS: IRISH SCANDAL
From: The Pooka
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 03:37 PM

Bien sur, Deda. Hrothgar, good point about Tammany. Hey, the Irish have always been great teachers. :)