Banking inquiry - Another fine mess

Even the most ardent Government supporter must cringe at its handling of the fiasco around finalising the membership of the Oireachtas banking inquiry.

Fawlty Towers-level blundering, and a shameless autocracy used to regain control of the committee after being outflanked by Fianna Fáil, have again squandered the Government’s political and personal credibility.

And all for what? Former Fine Gael leader and Finance Minister Alan Dukes was adamant that it makes no difference which colour hat the dominant grouping on the committee wears, the only thing that matters is trying to learn as much as is possible from the billion-euro mistakes made in the long nights when our banking system teetered on the edge of the chasm.