Pat COX, the one-time Fine Gael presidential contender, briefed the country’s biggest bankers, accountants and business people two weeks ago on the need for austerity in Ireland and the European financial crisis over dinner in the five-star luxury of the Shelbourne Hotel.
Cox socialised with Richie Boucher, the chief executive of Bank of Ireland, and David Duffy, the boss of AIB, as both banks gear up to lay off thousands of staff.
The gourmet private dinner with vintage wines is believed to have taken place in the Shelbourne’s famous Constitution Room, where the founding document governing the State’s sovereignty was drafted in 1922.
More cliché sir? The whole thing was organised by KPMG, which audited Irish Nationwide
Doubtless, they rested their wing-tips on crouching paupers, drank from jewel encrusted goblets and smoked cigars rolled from pension fund money.
FG insider briefs the top bankers at private dinner (Independent)
