Claim that Central Bank sought to gag economist on Northern Rock

ESRI director Alan Barrett was asked to hold back comments on fragile banking sector, inquiry hears

Alan Barrett was asked to hold back comments
John Hurley, governor of the Central Bank in 2008 Picture: Tony O'Shea

The Central Bank of Ireland sought to gag one of the country’s most prominent economists from talking about the fragile state of the nation’s banks in 2008, according to a senior figure in the bank at the time of the crisis.

Tom O’Connell, who was ...