No guarantee of legal protection for Oireachtas banking inquiry members

Sara Moorhead SC attended yesterday’s committee meeting to offer legal advice on the content of the report, which is due to be distributed to more than 80 people over the next few days.

Senator Marc MacSharry reportedly asked Dáil clerk Peter Finnegan at the meeting whether committee members were protected if a legal challenge was presented.

However, Mr Finnegan said he could make no guarantees as the decision would be made on a case-by-case basis by the Oireachtas Commission.

The report will soon be sent to former Taoisigh, civil servants, bankers and journalists for feedback.

Members of the inquiry committee will consider their responses to the report at a further meeting on 31 December.