Anglo auditor in probe doubt

The Oireachtas banking inquiry may be blocked from questioning Anglo Irish Bank’s auditor during the Celtic Tiger boom because of Seán FitzPatrick’s imminent trial.

The cross-party group discussed the matter during a private meeting yesterday, leading to concern a key part of the year-long investigation may not be fully examined.

Details provided last night show a number of auditors and regulators will be spoken to over the coming weeks. The officials include Ronan Murphy from PwC, Terence O’Rourke from KPMG and Paul Smith of Ernst and Young. The latter audited Anglo Irish during the boom.

However, while he must attend if asked, the inquiry has been told the FitzPatrick case takes precedence.

The trial of former Anglo Irish chairman Mr Fitz- Patrick, on charges of failing to disclose €139m of loans from Irish Nationwide, begins on April 13 and will last six weeks. During this period, the inquiry will be unable to question Mr Smith as any answers could impact on a live case, but it is hoped it can return to his evidence before it concludes witness meetings this summer.

Banking inquiry chair Ciarán Lynch said the group is “aware of the pending legal cases” and “needs to be prudent” at this time.

Meanwhile, the inquiry’s private meeting also heard a further update on whether former ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet will attend. Mr Trichet is pushing for a discussion at the IIEA in Dublin, which he will address in a “personal capacity” on April 30. However, the inquiry members want to have an on-the-record, public questioning session and are continuing to refuse any “box-ticking exercises”.

READ NEXT: Michael Noonan to push for variable rate cut

Read more of today’s news here