Equity Life kept policy holders in the dark

POLICY holders in Equitable Life were deliberately kept in the dark about the dire financial situation of the company, a European Parliament inquiry heard.

The Minister for Enterprise and Trade Micheál Martin may be called by the committee to give evidence, its chairperson, MEP Máiread McGuinness said.

There were 1.7 million policy holders including 8,300 Irish in 2000 before the company closed for business with debts of close to €6 billion.