Banking Inquiry Committee agrees third tranche of witnesses and receives update on Nexus Phase hearings

01/04/2015

The Oireachtas Banking Inquiry today agreed the third tranche of witnesses for the Nexus Phase of the Inquiry.

The Nexus Phase, when the Committee will engage with institutions and individuals who had roles relating to the crisis, will focus on three broad elements — Banking Systems & Practices; Regulatory and Supervisory Systems & Practices; and Crisis management systems and policy responses — and how these three elements interacted with each other.

Chairman Ciaran Lynch TD says: “Today the Committee agreed and signed off on the third tranche of witnesses for the Nexus Phase of hearings which are scheduled to start in April. This tranche will comprise central bankers and regulators. The notification includes the name, role, line of inquiry and proposed date for the hearing.”

“Nexus Phase hearings will run from Wednesday 22nd April until the middle of September with a total of 64 public hearings planned. It is envisaged that at least 50 witnesses will be called to the public hearings.”

“This phase of our hearings will include a move to compelling witnesses and statements and the use of evidence. Under the witness management protocol, there will be a structured witness engagement with a seven week lead-in between the notification and the public hearing. The protocol includes timescales, evidence books and technical briefings.”

The list of persons who have been issued with a Notice of Intention to date can be accessed here.

The Committee has written to the Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA) outlining the level of engagement it is seeking with former President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Jean-Claude Trichet.

Mr Trichet will be addressing a meeting of the IIEA in a personal capacity on 30th April and has agreed to engage with the Committee at this event.

Chairman Ciaran Lynch TD: “Engagement with the Committee, as part of this event, will assist greatly and directly contribute to the Inquiry Report. We have outlined to the IIEA a number of areas which we believe would contribute to a successful outcome for the Committee. It is important that there is an opportunity for us to use this engagement as ‘evidence’ in our inquiry and that there is web-casting or live streaming of the event and Q&A session, in addition to a written transcript. To ensure that Mr Trichet is provided with as much opportunity as possible to consider the contribution he could make on the day and that this is an informative engagement, we would be willing to discuss in advance the lines of inquiry we intend to take.”

The Committee was also updated on Nexus hearings preparations, including how it can proceed with regard to institutions that are subject to some certain legal cases.

Ciarán Lynch said: “The Committee is aware of the pending legal cases and the general impact on witnesses and documents in the Nexus Phase. The timing and nature of these cases will be taken into account as the committee prepares scheduling and witnesses for the banking stream of the Nexus hearings. We are conscious of the need to be prudent in how the Committee conducts its business to ensure that the integrity of legal proceedings is protected and carried out separately from the Committee’s work. From the outset, the Committee has been aware that our inquiry is separate from and not replacing the work of the Courts.

“The Committee has provisionally scheduled the remaining bank hearings for July and also agreed, at this stage, to seek written statements from the auditors of those institutions, with the option of inviting them before the Committee when the second phase of bank hearings begins. Auditors for the pillar banks are scheduled to appear before the Committee in May. Witnesses for the pillar banks will attend the Committee in late April and early May.”

Further information on the Oireachtas Banking Inquiry can be accessed on the dedicated this website.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

All media enquiries in relation to the Oireachtas Banking Inquiry should be addressed to:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

All general enquiries should be directed to the Committee Secretariat.
e. contactbankinquiry@oireachtas.ie
t. +353 1 618 3651

Committee Membership

Deputies

Ciarán Lynch (Chairman)
Pearse Doherty
Joe Higgins
Michael McGrath
Eoghan Murphy
Kieran O’Donnell
John Paul Phelan

Senators

Sean D Barrett
Michael D’Arcy
Marc MacSharry
Susan O’Keeffe