Whistleblower had coloured history with AIB

EUGENE McERLEAN, a solicitor by profession, joined AIB in 1991 and became group internal auditor in 1997.

His tenure ended in controversy in March 2002 following the rogue trader scandal at AIB’s US subsidiary, Allfirst, which cost the group e691 million.

The timing of his departure appeared to suggest AIB was holding him responsible for not spotting the rogue trading. Yet prior to his departure, a senior executive of the group had already told the Sunday Business Post that Mr McErlean was responsible only for Britain and Ireland, and therefore bore none of the blame for the Allfirst debacle.