DIRT Inquiry aficionados will remember Pat Rabbitte's prophetic words when ACC management were explaining the bank's risk rating system on compliance issues which ranged from one to five stars.

"Five stars, I suppose, would be Charlie Bird in the foyer," he remarked. Cut to this week's revelation that former AIB chairman Jim Culliton is on the list of 120 names associated with Ansbacher Cayman and companies linked to it.

On cue, Charlie Bird appeared in the foyer of Kildare House, while the inscrutable Mr Culliton found what a long walk Kildare Street could be escorted by a media pack led by the reporter.