Senan Hogan appointed to investigate whistleblower allegations

Senior counsel Senan Hogan has been appointed by the Houses of the Oireachtas service to investigate whistleblower allegations about the Banking Inquiry.

It has been claimed that some bodies giving evidence were given undue preferential treatment - and that staff even held undisclosed meetings with the Central Bank, NAMA and the Department of Finance.

The whistleblower also claimed the inquiry is being hampered by unnecessary redactions to some of its documents.

The investigation will report by the end of August, with inquiry hearings continuing in the meantime.

It is back in session tomorrow morning.

Fianna Fail's Finance spokeman Michael McGrath, who's a member of the committee, said earlier that the inquiry should have been informed sooner about the allegations: "It is proper that the Houses of the Oireachtas service would deal with the complaints made by the whistleblower.

"The allegations appear to be very serious and they were made initially last April and those matters were not brought to the attention of the inquiry.

"I believe that was a major mistake."