Mario Draghi asked to appear before finance committee

The European Central Bank president who refused to attend a banking inquiry hearing two years ago has been formally asked to meet with a cross-party Dáil committee before the budget.

The request was made to Mario Draghi by Fianna Fáil TD and finance committee chair John McGuinness after calls for it to happen were made by Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes.

In comments in recent days, Mr Hayes said Mr Draghi should attend the committee to discuss the ECB’s policy of quantitative easing, ongoing issues in the Irish economy, Brexit, and other matters.