Irish Nationwide manager seeks to halt internal ‘scapegoating’ inquiry

AN Irish Nationwide Building Society branch manager has asked the High Court for orders halting an inquiry instigated by the society into matters relating to his own borrowings and the handling of accounts of customers, including that of a large property developer who owes the society about e36 million.

Noel Harrington, manager of the INBS branch at Cruise’s Street, Limerick, is prepared to co-operate with a “bona fide investigation” but is unhappy with how the INBS has treated matters to date, his counsel Mark Connaughton SC said yesterday.

Mr Justice Garret Sheehan will today continue the hearing of Mr Harrington’s application for various orders, including an order halting the inquiry as constituted pending the outcome of full proceedings.