Gormley calls for banking crisis inquiry

GREEN Party leader John Gormley has dramatically upped the pressure on Taoiseach Brian Cowen to announce an inquiry into the causes of the banking crisis.

The Environment Minister said the latest revelations about Irish Nationwide “show the need for an inquiry now into the banking system”.

Mr Cowen has so far refused to commit to an inquiry, saying the Government’s priority has to be on solving the problems in the banking sector rather than investigating their cause. The Opposition has claimed the Taoiseach doesn’t want an inquiry because it would place his record as finance minister from 2004 to 2008 under harsh scrutiny.