It is now over three years since Fianna Fail TD, Michael Collins was found to have had a bogus offshore account. Since then he has been charged on two counts; cheating the Office of The Collector General by applying for a tax clearance cert at a time when he had undeclared tax liabilities and obtaining a tax clearance cert by false pretences.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has dropped the first charge, no reason was given – it’s a state secret.
Action on the second charge has been adjourned until July because; according to Mr. Collins’ defence counsel
“the accused is a member of the Oireachtas, which was now at a particular stage in the electoral cycle.”
The curious thing is Mr. Collins has already announced his intention to retire from politics, so why has justice been put on hold until after the election?
The more cynical among us could be forgiven for thinking that this apparently seamless cooperation between the justice and political systems is designed to avert any political embarrassment for the principal government party.
And the band played on..
(www.soldiersofdestiny.org)