DISGRACED banker Michael Fingleton has branded as “slander” claims that he operated the now defunct Irish Nationwide Building Society as his personal bank.

THE former chief executive of Irish Nationwide, Michael Fingleton, operated special loan facilities for “unlimited amounts of money” for his friends in the media, government and social circles, an Employment Appeals Tribunal heard yesterday.

FORMER Irish Nationwide chief executive Michael Fingleton continued to authorise several loans for one of his branch managers even though repayments on existing loans were in excess of the official’s salary.