How to run a banking inquiry

As the Oireachtas bank inquiry prepares to enter the complex labyrinth of Irish banking, here's what to ask, what paper trails to follow, and how not to waste time.

Follow the money: Ciaran Lynch, Labour Party TD and chair of the banking inquiry, must decide what to examine. Picture: Photocall

If the banking inquiry being established is to be successful and is to report within a reasonable timeframe it is critical that its terms of reference be tight and focused. Setting priorities is essential.

One focus will inevitably be on the role of the previous government in agreeing to the blanket guarantee for our banks and how that decision was arrived at. What alternatives were discussed or considered? Which, if any, lobbyists, partners ...