The European Central Bank has pulled out of any involvement in the bank inquiry after public claims its comments could be used as evidence instead of an “informal exchange of views” — and private fears any participation could see it dragged before Greek politicians at a later date.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has insisted ex-Anglo CEO David Drumm should physically attend the banking inquiry, as it emerged the investigation’s members have split over whether the exiled banker can give evidence by video-link from the US.

Senior Department of Finance officials made “discreet” inquiries about how Ireland could enter a bailout as early as October 2008, the banking inquiry has heard.

The former head of the Department of Finance has said it was made clear to the Government the ECB would “not be happy” if senior bondholders were burnt.

Gardaí are set to investigate the high-profile leaking of detailed bank inquiry evidence from former Department of Finance secretary general Kevin Cardiff in a move which could potentially see the person responsible fined €500,000 or jailed for a maximum of five years.

Former taoiseach Brian Cowen “already had a preference” for a “broad” bank guarantee before the infamous September 29, 2008, meeting which led to the multi-billion euro deal — and overruled then finance minister Brian Lenihan’s concerns.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has insisted that the European Central Bank had a very strong role in telling Ireland not to burn the bondholders.

THE haughty arrogance of Jean Claude Trichet, who last week snubbed Ireland’s banking inquiry and insisted that Oireachtas members attend upon him at his venue of choice, is trumped only by his gross insensitivity to the memory of the former finance minister, the late Brian Lenihan.

The family of Brian Lenihan say his name has been “sullied” by comments made by former European Central Bank president Jean Claude Trichet about events leading up the infamous bank guarantee.

The Oireachtas banking inquiry did not sit in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham yesterday. It did not hear from a witness by the name of Jean Claude Trichet, the former head of the European Central Bank (ECB).

Jean Claude Trichet has denied phoning the late Brian Lenihan and instructing him to save the banks, Henry Shefflin selects RTÉ over Sky Sports to launch his GAA punditry career and Cian Healy is spared a conviction despite a judge ruling the tinted windows in his car were ’unsafe’.   These are some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com this evening.

Further evidence of how the ECB interfered in eurozone countries’ economies, including Ireland’s, has been revealed by former ECB president Jean Claude Trichet.

Former taoisigh Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen, along with senior officials from the Department of Finance during the Celtic Tiger era, will be grilled by the Oireachtas banking inquiry in July.

The European Central Bank faces criticism over its denigration of employment and social rights during the ongoing austerity drive, says Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill

Last night I read for the first time the account my father made of entering Germany as the first Irish journalist to report from there after the war, says Victoria White.

The Oireachtas banking inquiry officially begins its public hearings this morning - after the news overnight that no member of the European Central Bank will appear before it.

The ECB pushed Ireland towards a bailout because it potentially threatened the entire euro system and the Irish authorities asked for it, ECB president Mario Draghi said.

I want to argue that Jean Claude Trichet’s ‘secret’ letter to Brian Lenihan and the consistent pressure directed at two governments, and by default every citizen in the Republic, now needs to be brought to the European Court of Human Rights .

After three years of asking, the famous Trichet letter finally saw the light of day, write Gavin Sheridan and Fred Logue.

There was no smoking gun in the ECB letters released yesterday that would strengthen the Government’s hand in looking for a bank recapitalisation.

ECB president Mario Draghi said his bank did not force the Government into a bailout in November 2010.

The European Central Bank threatened to cut off emergency funding from the Irish banking system in November 2010.

A Fine Gael MEP says a decision on when to release an infamous letter from the former head of the European Central Bank just before the Irish bailout four years ago will be made next week.

The ECB may release documents including a missing letter relating to Ireland’s bailout once the bank stress tests are finalised, according to a source.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said he will not be advising the Oireachtas Banking Inquiry on how to conduct its investigations.

BANKING inquiries with less bite than a toothless Luis Suarez, jobs for Coalition cronies, and double-digit house price rises — it’s just like the bad old days of Fianna Fáil all over again.

Ireland recouping the money it put into its failing banks is a near impossibility as the rules on bank recapitalisation are finalised, a top EU official has admitted.

The chairman of the planned banking inquiry, Ciarán Lynch, has said it is "disappointing" that former ECB president Jean Claude Trichet has made public statements that he would not be giving evidence at the hearings.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said he is not aware of any legal concerns expressed by the ECB regarding the disclosure of a letter sent by the bank to the late Brian Lenihan in the run-up to the 2010 bailout.

A new housing bubble will not be created by Government home-building plans, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has insisted.

The banking inquiry will get under way with "one hand tied behind its back", according to the opposition who said the Government has already shown signs that hearings will be prejudiced by partisan politics.

The Irish banks may need to be recapitalised following the stress tests later this year, but not at a level that would be a "shock to the system," said the secretary-general of the Department of Finance, John Moran.

THE former head of the European Central Bank (ECB) has sparked anger in Government circles after stating he will not appear before the banking inquiry which is due to get under way later this year.

Germany and France, rather than the European Central Bank, made the decision that Irish taxpayers should bail out the banks, states a new book.

Admissions about the crisis cock-up are all very well but what have we learned, asks Kyran Fitzgerald.

I’M BEGINNING to think there are two bank bailouts: one for boys and one for mammies.

The refusal by the European Central Bank (ECB) to release a letter sent to the late Brian Lenihan in the run-up to the bailout in 2010 “wasted an opportunity for fairness and transparency”, according to the European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly.

I agree with Phil Prendergast, MEP, regarding the conferring of an honorary doctorate on Jose Manuel Barroso by UCC.

SOME people don’t react well when they’re not invited to a party. Just before Christmas, the European Commission president, Juan Manuel Barroso, a former communist from Portugal, kicked the people he held responsible for Ireland’s economic problems — the Irish.

Two Fine Gael Ministers have backed a call for the former President of the European Central Bank to be brought before an Oireachtas Banking Inquiry.

The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has warned austerity hawks that Ireland will not be treated like an "economic experiment".

The Finance Minister says an ECB letter, which allegedly threatened Ireland into accepting a bailout, will be released to the planned banking inquiry.

Michael Noonan has signalled that a 2010 ECB letter reportedly forcing a bailout upon Ireland will eventually be published.

Can Mario Draghi, the new broom at the head of the European Central Bank, deliver on his pledge to do whatever it takes to defend the European currency from attack, asks Kyran Fitzgerald