The Taoiseach has said that he is prevented by law from publishing the names of the 120 people who have been holders of the controversial Ansbacher accounts. Mr Ahern was responding to a call by Fine Gael leader, John Bruton, to publish the names. In a letter to the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton said that it would be in the national interest to publish the names unless the account holders themselves make public disclosures within the next few days. Mr Bruton also said that there was now an unfair and unwarranted cloud of suspicion hanging over many people in business and public life. But the Taoiseach has pointed out that Section 21 of the Companies Amendment Act 1990, under which the authorised officer carried out his investigation into the accounts, specifically prohibits publication of any aspect of his report. Mr Bruton however, claims that the Taoiseach can amend the legislation to allow for publication of the names and says that his party will not oppose such changes. The Fine Gael letter follows calls from the Labour Party, the Socialist Party, IBEC and Archbishop Desmond Connell and for the names of depositors to be published.
